“Character is much easier kept than recovered.”

Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.

Government is not a trade which any man or body of men has a right to set up and exercise for his own emolument, but is altogether a trust, in right of those by whom that trust is delegated, and by whom it is always resumable. It has of itself no rights; they are altogether duties.

Men should not petition for rights, but take them.

What is it the Bible teaches us? – raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? – to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.

No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.

It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.

If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.

Beware the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry.

I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.

It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies.

It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.

The Deist needs none of those tricks and shows called miracles to confirm his faith, for what can be a greater miracle than the creation itself, and his own existence?

These are the times that try men’s souls.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.

An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

When I look in the mirror, I see someone who’s happy with how he looks, because I was never one of the handsome Hollywood people. And I’ve had success as I’ve gotten older, because I’m able to play characters. I no longer get the girl, but I get the part.

A lot of actors are frustrated because they want to do things that are different and test themselves. Character actors are always looking for something the opposite of what they did.

Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath.

But I learned that there’s a certain character that can be built from embarrassing yourself endlessly. If you can sit happy with embarrassment, there’s not much else that can really get to ya.

I do really believe that all guitarists have a different character that comes through, that’s a strong character, the stronger the person is.

If you will think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself. Character is a by-product, and any man who devotes himself to its cultivation in his own case will become a selfish prig.

I prefer to channel my problems and inner demons through a character. Another persona. That protects me and my family. I can get my frustrations out that way.

When I tried to play characters that strayed from who I am it ended in disaster. People didn’t expect me in comedies or musicals.