Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day.

Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire. I had better never see a book than be warped by its attraction clean out of my own orbit, and made a satellite instead of a system.

Men achieve a certain greatness unawares when working to another aim.

Old and new make the warp and woof of every moment. There is no thread that is not a twist of these two strands.

The only right is what is after my constitution; the only wrong is what is against it.

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.

Society has no bribe for me.