There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.

I cannot think the disputes and jealousies of Heaven are tried and settled by the swords of earth.

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.

Ignorance is the dominion of absurdity.

Sacrifice is the first element of religion, and resolves itself in theological language into the love of God.

A single seed of fact will produce in a season or two a harvest of calumnies; but sensible men will pay no attention to them.

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