All quotes

Nevertheless, he who has relied least on fortune is established the strongest.

injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer

princes ought to leave affairs of reproach to the management of others, and keep those of grace in their own hands

the nature of the people is variable, and whilst it is easy to persuade them, it is difficult to fix them in that persuasion

Great men never wait for opportunities; they make them.

Numa's virtue made him so celebrated that he was judged worthy to be king, Lykurgus' made him so great that he did not care to be king.

who did not delay for any formal vote to empower him to do so, but followed him because he was born to command

He who is wise tries to harmonise the wishes that seek for self-gratification with the wish for the social good, and only thus can he realise his higher self.

The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker.

We cannot expect to make everyone our friend, but we can try to make no one our enemy.

Let us measure what we will do for others by what they will do for themselves.

They meant that public officers should owe their whole service to the Government and to the people.

he should strive to be always mindful of the fact that he serves his party best who serves the country best

Alas, we have known Times call loudly enough for their great man; but not find him when they called!

Universal History, the history of what man has accomplished in this world, is at bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here.

The world is advanced only by those who more than fill their present places.

If parties in a republic are necessary to secure a degree of vigilance sufficient to keep the public functionaries within the bounds of law and duty, at that point their usefulness ends.

Never with my consent shall an officer of the people, compensated for his services out of their pockets, become the pliant instrument of Executive will.

If we would promise we must put ourselves in a position to perform our promise.

We shall enter into any war with a full consciousness of the awful consequences that it always entails, whether successful or not, and we, of course, shall make every effort consistent with national honor and the highest national interest to avoid a resort to arms.

War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed; peace is preferable to war in almost every contingency.

Honesty, capacity, and industry are nowhere more indispensable than in public employment.

There are some national questions in the solution of which patriotism should exclude partisanship.

Our duty is to cleanse, to reconsider, to restore, to correct the evil without impairing the good, to purify and humanize every process of our common life without weakening or sentimentalizing it.

The first duty of law is to keep sound the society it serves.