“Liberty, next to religion has been the motive of good deeds and the common pretext of crime.”

There is not a more perilous or immoral habit of mind than the sanctifying of success.

Judge talent at its best and character at its worst.

Feudalism made land the measure and the master of all things.

The possession of unlimited power corrodes the conscience, hardens the heart, and confounds the understanding.

Before God, there is neither Greek nor barbarian, neither rich nor poor, and the slave is as good as his master, for by birth all men are free; they are citizens of the universal commonwealth which embraces all the world, brethren of one family, and children of God.

Official truth is not actual truth.

Do not turn yourself from an end into a means-one does not justify the other.

I’m not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money.

A people averse to the institution of private property is without the first elements of freedom

Character is tested by true sentiments more than by conduct. A man is seldom better than his word.

Federalism is the best curb on democracy. [It] assigns limited powers to the central government. Thereby all power is limited. It excludes absolute power of the majority.

It is easier to find people fit to govern themselves than people fit to govern others.

A public man has no right to let his actions be determined by particular interests. He does the same thing as a judge who accepts a bribe. Like a judge he must consider what is right, not what is advantageous to a party or class.

Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority…

Be not content with the best book; seek sidelights from the others; have no favourites.

Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.

I value science–none can prize it more, It gives ten thousand motives to adore: Be it religious, as it ought to be, The heart it humbles, and it bows the knee.

The Man who works for others, without any selfish motive, really does good to himself.

Evolution of consciousness is the central motive of terrestrial existence.

The only work that spiritually purifies us is that which is done without personal motives.

This strange disease of modern life, With its sick hurry, its divided aims.

No woman dares to refuse love without a motive, for nothing is more natural than to yield to love.

People’s behavior makes sense if you think about it in terms of their goals, needs, and motives.

The motive power of democracy is love.