There are always too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen, and never enough U.S. congressmen.

Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, "the greatest," but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is.

The truest test of independent judgment is being able to dislike someone who admires us, and to admire someone who dislikes us.

Isolation always perverts; when a man lives only among his own sort, he soon begins to believe that his sort are the best sort. This attitude breeds both the arrogance of the conservative and the bitterness of the radical.

Many a secret that cannot be pried out by curiosity can be drawn out by indifference.

Any philosophy that can be put in a nutshell belongs there.

The best thing you can give children, next to good habits, are good memories.