“In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.”

“Everyone places his good where he can and has as much of it as he can, in his own way.”

“I am very fond of truth, but not at all of martyrdom.”

“The superfluous, a very necessary thing.”

“But for what purpose was the earth formed?" asked Candide. "To drive us mad," replied Martin.”

“He who loves the bristle of bayonets only sees in the glitter what beforehand he feels in his heart. It is avarice and hatred; it is that quivering lip, that cold, hating eye, which built magazines and powder-houses.”

“Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom or never the means of riches; and tho' avarice will preserve a man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes him too timorous to be wealthy.”

“It is not the nature of avarice to be satisfied with anything but money. Every passion that acts upon mankind has a peculiar mode of operation. Many of them are temporary and fluctuating; they admit of cessation and variety. But avarice is a fixed, uniform passion.”