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Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it he goes on till he is pulled up by some limits. Who would say it! virtue even has need of limits.

Baron de Montesquieu

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Baron de Montesquieu
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Virtue in a republic is the love of one's country, that is the love of equality.
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Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.
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The less men think, the more they talk.
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Political liberty is to be found only in moderate governments.
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The state is the association of men, and not men themselves the citizen may perish, and the man remain.
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In bodies moved, the motion is received, increased, diminished, or lost, according to the relations of the quantity of matter and velocity each diversity is uniformity, each change is constancy.
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When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees. Republics end through luxury, monarchies through poverty.
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What cowardice it is to be dismayed by the happiness of others and devastated by there good fortune.
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It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.
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Those who have few affairs to attend to are great speakers. The less men think, the more they talk.
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Life was given to me as a favor, so I may abandon it when it is one no longer.
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We must have constantly present in our minds the difference between independence and liberty. Liberty is a right of doing whatever the laws permit, and if a citizen could do what they forbid he would no longer be possessed of liberty.
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In the matter of dress one should always keep below one's ability.
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Vanity and pride of nations vanity is as advantageous to a government as pride is dangerous.
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There is something in animals beside the power of motion. They are not machines they feel.
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We ought to be very cautious and circumspect in the prosecution of magic and heresy. The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty.
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Republics come to an end by luxurious habits monarchies by poverty.
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