No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty

The first duty of an historian is to be on his guard against his own sympathies...

If you think you can temper yourself into manliness by sitting here over your books, it is the very silliest fancy that ever tempted a young man to his ruin. You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.

Nature is less partial than she appears, and all situations in life have their compensations along with them.

Where nature is sovereign, there is no need of austerity and self-denial.

Just laws are no restraint upon the freedom of the good, for the good man desires nothing which a just law will interfere with.

As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities.