Persons of genius are, ex vi termini, more individual than any other people - less capable, consequently, of fitting themselves, without hurtful compression, into any of the small number of moulds which society provides in order to save its members the trouble of forming their character.

Co-operation, like other difficult things, can be learned only by practice: and to be capable of it in great things, a people must be gradually trained to it in small. Now the whole course of advancing civilization is a series of such training.

Stupidity is much the same all the world over

The spirit of improvement is not always a spirit of liberty, for it may aim at forcing improvements on an unwilling people.

The only power deserving the name is that of masses, and of governments while they make themselves the organ of the tendencies and instincts of masses.

A people among whom there is no habit of spontaneous action for a collective interest - who look habitually to their government to command or prompt them in all matters of joint concern - who expect to have everything done for them, except what can be made an affair of mere habit and routine - have their faculties only half developed; their education is defective in one of its most important branches.

The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.