Thomas Paine:

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.

A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue;

but moderation in principle is always a vice.

To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather

be loaded with taxes than not.

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

That government is best which governs least.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates

this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.

'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct,

will pursue his principles unto death.

It is an affront to treat falsehood with complaisance.

The greatest remedy for anger is delay.

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place,

and common interest produces common security.

The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate

the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes.

When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.