There should be weeping at a man’s birth, not at his death.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUIn the state of nature… all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.
More Baron de Montesquieu Quotes
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If you run after wit, you will succeed in catching folly.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.
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The false notion of miracles comes of our vanity, which makes us believe we are important enough for the Supreme Being to upset nature on our behalf.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.
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Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
Vanity and pride of nations; vanity is as advantageous to a government as pride is dangerous.
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I have read descriptions of Paradise that would make any sensible person stop wanting to go there.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it; he goes on till he is pulled up by some limits. Who would say it! virtue even has need of limits.
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Honor is unknown in despotic states.
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I never listen to calumnies, because if they are untrue I run the risk of being deceived, and if they be true, of hating persons not worth thinking about.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
Wonderful maxim: not to talk of things any more after they are done.
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Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
In the infancy of societies, the chiefs of state shape its institutions; later the institutions shape the chiefs of state.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU -
The reason the Romans built their great paved highways was because they had such inconvenient footwear.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU