"The most perfect politician, who has ever existed, is he who has been able to unite the most opposite qualities, and to reconcile the most contradictory interests."

"Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty."

"The sceptic, therefore, still continues to reason and believe, even though he asserts that he cannot defend his reason by reasons."

"I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites. There scarcely ever was a civilized nation of that complexion, nor even any individual eminent either in action or speculation. …"

"It forms a strong presumption against all supernatural and miraculous relations, that they are observed chiefly to abound among ignorant and barbarous nations; or if a civilized people has ever given …"