Thomas Paine: “Rome, once the proud mistress of the universe, was originally a band of ruffians.”

As soldiers have hitherto been treated in most countries, they might be said to be without a friend.

But in England there are no such occasional bodies; and as to those who are now called Representatives, a great part of them are mere machines of the court, placemen, and dependants.

Nations, like individuals, who have long been enemies, without knowing each other, or knowing why, become the better friends when they discover the errors and impositions under which they had acted.

It is only those who have not thought that appear to agree.