François Quesnay

"Sans la certitude de la propriété, le territoire resterait inculte."

"Mr. Smith was well known to M. Quesnai, the profound and original author of the Economical Table; a man (according to Mr. Smiths account of him) "of the greatest modesty and simplicity;" and whose system of political economy he has pronounced, "with all its imperfections," to be "the nearest approximation to the truth that has yet been published on the principles of that very important science." If he had not been prevented by Quesnais death, Mr. Smith had once an intention (as he told me himself) to have inscribed to him his Wealth of Nations."

"You recognize but one rule of commerce; that is (to avail myself of your own terms) to allow free passage and freedom of action to all buyers and sellers whoever they may be."

"Calculations are to the economic science what bones are to the human body. Without them it will always be a vague and confused science, at the mercy of error and prejudice."

"To secure the greatest amount of pleasure with the least possible outlay should be the aim of all economic effort... when everyone does this the natural order, instead of being endangered, will be all the better assured."