All men are loyal, but their objects of allegiance are at best approximate.

Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story.

History - an account, mostly false, of events, mostly unimportant

Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and lay open the soul of the doer.

The first obligation of the writer is to be interesting. To be interesting; not to change the world.

Finally you begin to make your mistakes on the highest level-let's say the upper slopes of slippery Parnassus-and it's at that point you need coaching.

The horror of our history has purged me of opinions.