"The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind."

"Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth."

"The only freedom, which is of real value, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, without reference to the opinions of others."

"The principle itself of dogmatic religion, dogmatic morality, dogmatic philosophy, is what requires to be rooted out."

"Every man who is not a fool knows that a bad government is a great evil; but that there is no greater evil than a weak government."