Great advantage is drawn from knowledge of your adversary, and when you know the measure of his intelligence and character, you can use it to play on his weakness.

Religion is the idol of the mob; it adores everything it does not understand.

It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches.

I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect right.

No government can exist without taxation. The money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress.

It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised.