James Harrington

“The Law is but words and paper without the hands of swords of men.”

“No man can be a politician, except he be first a historian or a traveller; for except he can see what must be, or what may be, he is no politician.”

“A whole army, though they can neither write nor read, are not afraid of a platform, which they know is but earth or stone; nor of a cannon, which, without a hand to give fire to it, is but cold iron; therefore a whole army is afraid of one man.”

“Vice: Whatever was passion in the contemplation of man, being brought forth by his will into action.”