The society whose citizens are willing to stand and fight is the one with the best chance of surviving long enough for history to even notice.

No human being, when you understand his desires, is worthless. No one's life is nothing. Even the most evil of men and women, if you understand their hearts, had some generous act that redeems them, at least a little, from their sins.

It is the downfall of evil, that it never sees far enough ahead.

If he was a good man, how could he leave me? So he must not be a good man. But if he isn't good, then why does it hurt so much to lose him?

I listen to music constantly while writing.

His vices were the vices of his time and culture, but his virtues transcended the milieu of his life.

Apparently the Dutch now prided themselves on being better at queues than the English, which was absurd, because standing cheerfully in line was the English national sport.