Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it. – Denis Diderot
Morals are in all countries the result of legislation and government they are not African or Asian or European: they are good or bad. – Denis Diderot
It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley, but to believe or not believe in God is not important at all. – Denis Diderot
The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad. His virtues are the most dangerous and the surest form of seduction: they lull a people imperceptibly into the habit of loving, respecting, and serving his successor, whoever that successor may be, no matter how wicked or stupid. – Denis Diderot