Our love of what is beautiful does not lead to extravagance; our love of the things of the mind does not make us soft.

Future ages will wonder at us, as the present age wonders at us now.

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!

Famous men have the whole earth as their memorial.

I am of opinion that national greatness is more for the advantage of private citizens, than any individual well-being coupled with public humiliation. A man may be personally ever so well off, and yet if his country be ruined he must be ruined with it; whereas a flourishing commonwealth always affords chances of salvation to unfortunate individuals.

For the whole earth is the tomb of famous men; not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions in their own country, but in foreign lands there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.

We do not need the praises of a Homer, or of anyone else whose words may delight us for the moment, but the estimation of facts will fall short of what is really true.