Nobody ever saw a dog make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with another dog.

Beneficence is always free, it cannot be extorted by force.

It appears, accordingly, from the experience of all ages and nations, I believe, that the work done by freemen comes cheaper in the end than that performed by slaves.

The violence and injustice of the rulers of mankind is an ancient evil, for which, I am afraid, the nature of human affairs can scarce admit a remedy.

A power to dispose of estates for ever is manifestly absurd. The earth and the fulness of it belongs to every generation, and the preceding one can have no right to bind it up from posterity. Such extension of property is quite unnatural.

The property which every man has in his own labour, as it is the original foundation of all other property, so it is the most sacred and inviolable.

In the long-run the workman may be as necessary to his master as his master is to him, but the necessity is not so immediate.

The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals.

The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is anywhere directed, or applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labour.

In ease of body, peace of mind, all the different ranks of life are nearly upon a level and the beggar who suns himself by the side of the highway, possesses that security which kings are fighting for.

By pursuing his own interest (the individual) frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.

To feel much for others, and little for ourselves, to restrain our selfish, and to indulge our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature.

The man scarce lives who is not more credulous than he ought to be... The natural disposition is always to believe. It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough.

No society can surely be flourishing and happy of which by far the greater part of the numbers are poor and miserable.

Great ambition, the desire of real superiority, of leading and directing, seems to be altogether peculiar to man, and speech is the great instrument of ambition.

The mind is so rarely disturbed, but that the company of friend will restore it to some degree of tranquility and sedateness.

Resentment seems to have been given to us by nature for defense, and for defense only; it is the safeguard of justice, and the security of innocence.

But though empires, like all the other works of men, have all hitherto proved mortal, yet every empire aims at immortality.

The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities.

Have lots of experiments, but make sure they're strategically focused.