"The law, in its most general signification, is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth; the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases …"

"The custom of having many wives is a bad one, not so much on account of the inconvenience it causes to the husbands, as on account of that which it creates for the wives."

"The Romans were a nation of robbers, who, having robbed all the world, at last robbed themselves."

"The Romans were the greatest people in the world when they had not yet corrupted themselves."

"To prevent the executive power from being able to oppress, it is requisite that the armies with which it is entrusted should consist of the people, and have the same spirit as the people."