Whatever Shall Be To The Advantage Of

There Are All Kinds Of Devices Invented For The Protection And Preservation Of Countries: Defensive Barriers, Forts, Trenches, And The Like... But Prudent Minds Have As A Natural Gift One Safeguard Which Is The Common Possession Of All, And This Applies Especially To The Dealings Of Democracies. What Is This Safeguard? Skepticism. This You Must Preserve. This You Must Retain. If You Can Keep This, You Need Fear No Harm.

Close Alliances With Despots Are Never Safe For Free States.

It Is The Natural Disposition Of All Men To Listen With Pleasure To Abuse And Slander Of Their Neighbour, And To Hear With Impatience Those Who Utter Praises Of Themselves.

The More Able A Man Is, If He Make Ill Use Of His Abilities, The More Dangerous Will He Be To The Commonwealth.

Nothing Is So Easy As To Deceive One's Self; For What We Wish, That We Readily Believe; But Such Expectations Are Often Inconsistent With The Real State Of Things.