Law is a bottomless pit.

Law is a bottomless pit.

Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if read more

Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if they are to be observed, have need of good morals.

Any law that takes hold of a man's daily life cannot prevail in a community, unless the vast majority of read more

Any law that takes hold of a man's daily life cannot prevail in a community, unless the vast majority of the community are actively in favor of it. The laws that are the most operative are the laws which protect life.

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching read more

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.

There was an ancient Roman lawyer, of great fame in the history
of Roman jurisprudence, whom they called Cui read more

There was an ancient Roman lawyer, of great fame in the history
of Roman jurisprudence, whom they called Cui Bono, from his
having first introduced into judicial proceedings the argument,
"What end or object could the party have had in the act with
which he is accused."

Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good
or for ill, it teaches the whole people by read more

Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good
or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is
contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds
contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto
himself; it invites anarchy.

Written laws are like spiders' webs, and will like them only
entangle and hold the poor and weak, while read more

Written laws are like spiders' webs, and will like them only
entangle and hold the poor and weak, while the rich and powerful
will easily break through them.

…a few philosophers really do important work. This applies to the so called ‘critical philosophy’ and to the theory of read more

…a few philosophers really do important work. This applies to the so called ‘critical philosophy’ and to the theory of knowledge or epistemology. This class of workers I call epistemologists to avoid the disagreeable implications of the term ‘philosopher’.

Who to himself is law, no law doth need,
Offends no law, and is a king indeed.

Who to himself is law, no law doth need,
Offends no law, and is a king indeed.