“Sec. 10. Besides the crime which consists in violating the law, and varying from the right rule of reason, whereby a man so far becomes degenerate, and declares himself to quit the principles of human nature, and to be a noxious creature, there is commonly injury done to some person or other, and some other man receives damage by his transgression: in which case he who hath received any damage, has, besides the right of punishment common to him with other men, a particular right to seek reparation from him that has done it: and any other person, who finds it just, may also join with him that is injured, and assist him in recovering from the offender so much as may make satisfaction for the harm he has suffered.”

“The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom.”

“Things of this world are in so constant a flux, that nothing remains long in the same state.”

“The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property.”

“Government has no other end, but the preservation of property.”

“All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.”

“It is of great use to the sailor to know the length of his line, though he cannot with it fathom all the depths of the ocean.”

“We should have a great fewer disputes in the world if words were taken for what they are, the signs of our ideas only, and not for things themselves.”

“It is one thing to show a man that he is in an error, and another to put him in possession of the truth.”

“Our incomes are like our shoes; if too small, they gall and pinch us; but if too large, they cause us to stumble and to trip.”

“The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.”