There is no worse mistake in public leadership than to hold out false hopes soon to be swept away. The British people can face peril or misfortune with fortitude and buoyancy, but they bitterly resent being deceived or finding that those responsible for their affairs are themselves dwelling in a fool's paradise.

Courage is the greatest virtue because it guarantees all the rest.

Certainly the prolonged education indispensable to the progress of society is not natural to mankind.

Time is one thing that can never be retrieved. One may lose and regain friends. One may lose and regain money. Opportunity, once spurned, may come again. But the hours that are lost in idleness can never be brought back to be used in gainful pursuits

The way to achieve happiness is to try for perfection that is impossible to achieve, and spend the rest of your life trying to achieve it.

Where does the family start? It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl - no superior alternative has yet been found.

Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.