Thomas Jefferson

"The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."

"I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be."

"Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom."

"Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you."

"Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom."

"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."

"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

"I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led."

"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none."

"Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits."

"There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people."

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."

"A nation which expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, expects that which never was and never will be."

"They (religions) dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live."