The purely defensive is doomed to defeat.

In politics nothing is immutable. Events carry within them an invincible power. The unwise destroy themselves in resistance. The skillful accept events, take strong hold of them and direct them.

Society cannot exist without inequality of fortunes and the inequality of fortunes could not subsist without religion. Whenever a half-starved person is near another who is glutted, it is impossible to reconcile the difference if there is not an authority who tells him to.

Ambition never is in a greater hurry that I; it merely keeps pace with circumstances and with my general way of thinking.

The most desirable quality in a soldier is constancy in the support of fatigue; valor is only secondary.

A man occupied with public or other important business cannot, and need not, attend to spelling.

The only conquests that are permanent and leave no regrets are our conquests over ourselves.