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If I knew something that would serve my country but would harm mankind, I would never reveal it for I am a citizen of humanity first and by necessity, and a citizen of France second, and only by accident
Baron de Montesquieu
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More quotes by Baron de Montesquieu
The less luxury there is in a republic, the more it is perfect.
Baron de Montesquieu
A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.
Baron de Montesquieu
Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.
Baron de Montesquieu
Nature is just to all mankind, and repays them for their industry. She renders them industrious by annexing rewards in proportion to their labor.
Baron de Montesquieu
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
I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.
Baron de Montesquieu
The love of study is in us the only lasting passion. All the others quit us in proportion as this miserable machine which holds them approaches its ruins.
Baron de Montesquieu
Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.
Baron de Montesquieu
The sublimity of administration consists in knowing the proper degree of power that should be exerted on different occasions.
Baron de Montesquieu
When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees. Republics end through luxury, monarchies through poverty.
Baron de Montesquieu
An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.
Baron de Montesquieu
It is not the young people that degenerate they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.
Baron de Montesquieu
The life of man is but a succession of vain hopes and groundless fears.
Baron de Montesquieu
That anyone who possesses power has a tendency to abuse it is an eternal truth. They tend to go as far as the barriers will allow.
Baron de Montesquieu
The Ottoman Empire whose sick body was not supported by a mild and regular diet, but by a powerful treatment, which continually exhausted it.
Baron de Montesquieu
It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.
Baron de Montesquieu
Men in excess of happiness or misery are equally inclined to severity. Witness conquerors and monks! It is mediocrity alone, and a mixture of prosperous and adverse fortune that inspire us with lenity and pity.
Baron de Montesquieu
I should like to abolish funerals the time to mourn a person is at his birth, not his death.
Baron de Montesquieu
Fain would I glide down a gentle river, but I am carried away by a torrent.
Baron de Montesquieu
Political liberty is to be found only in moderate governments.
Baron de Montesquieu
