All quotes

the only thing we have to fear is fear itself

Let it be impressed upon all hearts that, beautiful as our fabric is, no earthly power or wisdom could ever reunite its broken fragments.

To balance probabilities, where life and liberty hang on the result, requires steady nerves.

The strength of our determination was about to be fully tested.

One must not avoid one's tests, although they constitute perhaps the most dangerous game one can play, and are in the end tests made only before ourselves and before no other judge.

Love at its highest point--love sublime, unique, invincible--leads us straight to the brink of the great abyss, for it speaks to us directly of the infinite and of eternity.

The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, self-possessed man under all circumstances.

Well may the boldest fear and the wisest tremble when incurring responsibilities on which may depend our country's peace and prosperity, and in some degree the hopes and happiness of the whole human family.

Fatigue yourself, but once, to utter exhaustion, and to the end of life you shall not recover the former vigour of your frame.

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

Death, like birth, is a mystery of nature; the one a compounding of elements, the other a resolution into the same.

For death also is one piece of the business of life, and, here as elsewhere, it is enough to do well what comes to our hand.

To the man who is penetrated with true principles, the shortest, the most common hint is a sufficient memorial to keep him free of sorrow and fear.

Instead of denying these fears, declare them, say them out loud, admit them, give them the credit they deserve.

I’d subscribe to the belief that we’re all destined to have to do the thing we fear the most anyway.

There are men in whose presence the greatest of heroes would not dare to be silent; and even the soul that has nothing to conceal trembles lest another should discover its secret.

Fear is more importunate and insupportable than death itself

Whoever expects punishment already suffers it, and whoever has deserved it expects it.

Your fears must be mastered before you can win in any worthwhile undertaking in life.

Here we see how hurtful it is for a prince or commonwealth to keep the minds of their subjects in constant alarm and suspense by continually renewed punishments and violence.

The prince, therefore, who would guard himself against plots, ought more to fear those men to whom he has been too indulgent, than those to whom he has done great wrongs.

there is no surer or more necessary restraint on the violence of an unruly multitude, than the presence of some one whose character and bearing command respect

It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with.

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

Every year if not every day we have to wager our salvation upon some prophecy based upon imperfect knowledge.