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

“To write history one must be more than a man, since the author who holds the pen of this great justiciary must be free from all preoccupation of interest or vanity.”

“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.”

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

“One is more certain to influence men, to produce more effect on them, by absurdities than by sensible ideas.”

“Great men are meteors designed to burn so that earth may be lighted.”