Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with the necessities.

Some people make stuff; other people have to buy it. And when we gave up making stuff, starting in the 1980s, we were left with the unique role of buying.

One man’s loss is another man’s profit.

Business is other people’s money.

A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong.

Wants keep pace with wealth always.

The merchant always has fresh losses to expect, and the dread of base poverty forbids his rest.

For the merchant, even honesty is a financial speculation.

No nation was ever ruined by trade.

Honest commerce is the great civilizer. We exchange ideas when we exchange fabrics.

It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street.

Everyone lives by selling something.

The sea serves the pirate as well as the trader.