193 Quotes by Baron de Montesquieu

Christianity stamped its character on jurisprudence; for empire has ever a connection with the priesthood.

Liberty itself has appeared intolerable to those nations who have not been accustomed to enjoy it.

For a country, everything will be lost when the jobs of an economist and a banker become highly respected professions.

The false notion of miracles comes of our vanity, which makes us believe we are important enough for the Supreme Being to upset nature on our behalf.

If you would be holy, instruct your children, because all the good acts they perform will be imputed to you.

They who love to inform themselves, are never idle. Though I have no business of consequence to take care of, I am nevertheless continually employed. I spend my life in examining things: I write down in the evening whatever I have remarked, what I have seen, and what I have heard in the day: every thing engages my attention, and every thing excites my wonder: I am like an infant, whose organs, as yet tender, are strongly affected by the slightest objects.

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.

Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.

Each particular society begins to feel its strength, whence arises a state of war between different nations.