“In our time no one has the conception of what is great. It is up to me to show them.”

“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.”

“The herd seek out the great, not for their sake but for their influence; and the great welcome them out of vanity or need.”

“Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.”

“The great mass of society are far from being depraved; for if a large majority were criminal or inclined to break the laws, where would the force or power be to prevent or constrain them? And herein is the real blessing of civilization, because this happy result has its origin in her bosom, growing out of her very nature.”

“Lead the ideas of your time and they will accompany and support you; fall behind them and they drag you along with them; oppose them and they will overwhelm you.”

“If we could read the past histories of all our enemies we would disregard all hostility for them.”