"The grand, leading principle, towards which every argument unfolded in these pages directly converges, is the absolute and essential importance of human development in its richest diversity."

"The liberty of the individual must be thus far limited; he must not make himself a nuisance to other people."

"The 'self-regarding' actions are those which primarily and directly affect only the agent himself."

"In the case of any person whose conduct affects prejudicially the interests of others, there is no room for the argument that he should be allowed to do as he likes, because it is his own affair."

"Despotism is a legitimate mode of government in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement, and the means justified by actually effecting that end."