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Solemnity is the shield of idiots

Baron de Montesquieu

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Baron de Montesquieu
Idiots
Idiot
Stupidity
Solemnity
Shield
Shields

More quotes by Baron de Montesquieu

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I should like to abolish funerals the time to mourn a person is at his birth, not his death.
Baron de Montesquieu
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As virtue is necessary in a republic, and honor in a monarchy, fear is what is required in a despotism. As for virtue, it is not at all necessary, and honor would be dangerous there.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Political liberty in a citizen is that tranquillity of spirit which comes from the opinion each one has of his security, and in order for him to have this liberty the government must be such that one citizen cannot fear another citizen.
Baron de Montesquieu
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A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.
Baron de Montesquieu
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At our coming into the world we contract an immense debt to our country, which we can never discharge.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Republics end through luxury monarchies through poverty.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Lunch kills half of Paris, supper the other half.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Society is the union of men and not the men themselves.
Baron de Montesquieu
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There is hardly any grief that an hour's reading will not dissipate.
Baron de Montesquieu
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The power of divorce can be given only to those who feel the inconveniences of marriage, and who are sensible of the moment when it is for their interest to make them cease.
Baron de Montesquieu
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If the triangles made a god, they would give him three sides.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Sometimes a man who deserves to be looked upon because he is a fool is despised only because he is a lawyer.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Human laws made to direct the will ought to give precepts, and not counsels.
Baron de Montesquieu
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An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.
Baron de Montesquieu
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There is still another inconvenieney in conquests made by democracies their government is ever odious to the conquered states. It is apparently monarchical, but in reality it is more oppressive than monarchy, as the experience of all ages and countries evinces.
Baron de Montesquieu
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In the matter of dress one should always keep below one's ability.
Baron de Montesquieu
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Man, as a physical being, is like other bodies governed by invariable laws.
Baron de Montesquieu
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When a government is arrived to that degree of corruption as to be incapable of reforming itself, it would not lose much by being new moulded.
Baron de Montesquieu
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In 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.
Baron de Montesquieu