There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.

Everything great is not always good, but all good things, are great.

What we wish, that we readily believe.

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.

Nothing is so easy as to deceive one's self; for what we wish, that we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with the real state of things.

There is a great deal of wishful thinking in such cases it is the easiest thing of all to deceive ones self.