“If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their doors?”

Power simply is no more, but the excess of the power of one above that of another.

For it can never be that war shall preserve life, and peace destroy it.

A great leap in the dark.

For such is the nature of man, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; Yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves.

For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man’s nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.

Philosophy excludes the doctrine of angels, and all such things as are thought to be neither bodies nor properties of bodies.

Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.

It is not wisdom but authority that makes a Law.

Hell is truth seen too late.

All acquired power consists in command over some of the powers of other man.

I put for a general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power, that ceases only in death.

The first and fundamental law of Nature, which is, to seek peace and follow it.

Every part of the universe is ‘body’ and that which is not ‘body’ is no part of the universe, and because the universe is all, that which is no part of it is nothing, and consequently nowhere.

What is the heart but a spring, and the nerves but so many strings, and the joints but so many wheels, giving motion to the whole body?

Some men’s desires are without limits.

it is one thing to desire, another to be in capacity fit for what we desire.

We all live in a house on fire, no fire department to call; no way out, just the upstairs window to look out of while the fire burns the house down with us trapped, locked in it.

Done time in the lock-up, done time on the streets. Done time on the upswing, and time in defeat.

I mean, it saves you from ultimately from the boredom of having one point of view, like being locked in a room with nothing but your own point of view, your own references.

We need, in effect, to make the phantom ‘lock-boxes’ around the trust fund real.

A boy is a magical creature you can lock him out of your workshop, but you can’t lock him out of your heart.

Several thousand people had been locked up unjustly and, by an incredible coincidence, all in the same prison. On the other hand, they knew an awful lot about how to knife somebody.

She doesn’t give you time for questions as she locks up your arms in hers. And you follow till your sense of direction completely disappears.

And a little slate that came out of the wall that you could actually write on. And a door that locked from the outside.