“Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.”

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of humans; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy.

Every proprietor owes to the community a ground-rent for the land which he holds.

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.

The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind.

Virtue is not hereditary.

The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.

Some people can be reasoned into sense, and others must be shocked into it.

A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.

It is easy to see that when republican virtue fails, slavery ensues.

Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime.

The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.

Government without a constitution, is a power without a right.

If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised.

Music is well said to be the speech of angels.

You didn’t think of angels as white or black. They were angels.

Nothing gives us a greater idea of our soul, than that God has given us, at the moment of our birth, an angel to take care of it.

She has the intuition of an angel and fire like a dragon.

An angel cannot be blind to the fire below – lest she risk becoming it.

They talk like angels but they live like men.

Philosophy will clip an angel’s wings, Conquer all mysteries by rule and line, Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine – Unweave a rainbow.

When people call me God, I say, no, I’m still an angel or saint of acting. I still have a long way to go.