Montesquieu Quotes

Every man is capable of doing good to another, but to contribute to the happiness of an entire society is to become akin to the gods

We receive three educations, one from our parents, one from our school masters, and one from the world. The third contradicts all that the first two teach us.

I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.

I can assure you that no kingdom has ever had as many civil wars as the kingdom of Christ.

History is full of religious wars; but, we must take care to observe, it was not the multiplicity of religions that produced these wars, it was the intolerating spirit which animated that one which thought she had the power of governing.

The desire for glory is no different from that instinct for preservation that is common to all creatures. It is as if we enhance our being if we can gain a place in the memory of others; it is a new life that we acquire, which becomes as precious to us as the one we received from Heaven.

Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.