"The ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable (whether we are considering our own good or that of other people), is an existence exempt as far as possibl…"

"The great difficulty in the way of the progress of any reform is always not the 'difficulty of the thing itself,' but the difficulty of getting people to believe in the difficulty of the thing itself."

"The 'self-regarding' offences, if they are to be called offences, are not to be punished at all."

"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be …"

"We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavouring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still."