He that struggles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.

Evils we have had continually calling for reformation, and reformations more grievous than any evils.

Poetry is the art of substantiating shadows, and of lending existence to nothing.

There are some men formed with feelings so blunt that they can hardly be said to be awake during the whole course of their lives.

Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government.

In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution of our country with our dearest domestic ties; adopting our fundamental laws into the bosom of our family affections; keeping inseparable and cherishing with the warmth of all their combined and mutually reflected charities, our state, our hearths, our sepulchres, and our altars.

You had that action and counteraction which, in the natural and in the political world, from the reciprocal struggle of discordant powers draws out the harmony of the universe.