All quotes

My life had its beginning in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging surroundings.

My dear Laelius and Scipio, we must stand up against old age and make up for its drawbacks by taking pains.

In my opinion no man has had a more profitable difficulty than you have had, if you choose to make use of it as an athlete would deal with a young antagonist.

I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship

there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things, because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new

There is no instant step from disorder to order.

If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

Let us then, here and now, recognize this force and resolve to make the most of it—not the boys less, but the girls more.

There are but two directions in this life in which you can grow; backward or forward.

The spirit of personal independence in the women of to-day is sure proof that a change has come.

To specialize any form of labor is a step up: to organize it is another step.

What we do modifies us more than what is done to us.

In brief, whatever you want, produce that something in yourself, and you will positively gravitate towards the corresponding conditions in the external world.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

The Amendment must draw its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.

Poverty and ignorance are the parents of intemperance, and that vice will never be suppressed until the burdens of life are equally shared by all.

The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn.

Great events are usually preceded by apparently small things.

The average mind is slow in grasping a truth, but when the most thoroughly organized, centralized institution, maintained at an excessive national expense, has proven a complete social failure, the dullest must begin to question its right to exist.

A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.

At any rate, we were on the move at last, and if dangers and difficulties lay ahead we could meet and overcome them.

The object of the game of life is to see clearly one’s good and to obliterate all mental pictures of evil.

In the past the man has been first; in the future the system must be first.

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

To reform one's maxims is nothing: it is but to change the title of the book. To learn new habits is everything, for it is to reach the substance of life.