Everything in the universe goes by indirection. There are no straight lines.

Luck is just another word for tenacity of purpose.

Our civility, England determines the style of, inasmuch as England is the strongest of the family of existing nations, and as we are the expansion of that people. It is that of a trading nation; it is a shopkeeping civility. The English lord is a retired shopkeeper, and has the prejudices and timidities of that profession.

There is no one who does not exaggerate. In conversation, men are encumbered with personality, and talk too much.

Insist on your life, never imitate... do that which is assigned to you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much.

You may regret calamities if you can thereby help the sufferer, but if you cannot, mind your own business.

But the wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting; that the State must follow, and notlead the character and progress of the citizen; the strongest usurper is quickly got rid of; and they only who build on Ideas, build for eternity; and that the form of government which prevails, is the expression of what cultivation exists in the population which permits it.