H. L. Burke Quotes

Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work.

If we break promises to God, shouldn't we be allowed an occasional violation of our word to our friends and superiors?

I think all good narration contains an element of mystery and suspense. If it didn't, if the storyline were predictable, we would have no interest in reading it.

Men who undertake considerable things, even in a regular way, ought to give us ground to presume ability.

We gain no wisdom by imposing our way on others.

Religion is the basis of civil society, and the source of all good and of all comfort.

Criticism is a destroyer of self-worth and esteem.

All that needs to be done for evil to prevail is good men doing nothing.

Men love to hear of their power, but have an extreme disrelish to be told their duty.

That great chain of causes, which, linking one to another, even to the throne of God Himself, can never be unraveled by any industry of ours.

The ocean is an object of no small terror.

He that accuses all mankind of corruption ought to remember that he is sure to convict only one.

War never leaves where it found a nation.

The wisdom of our ancestors.

Beauty in distress is much the most affecting beauty.

The only thing an artist has to remember is to never lose faith in his vision.

Falsehood is a perennial spring.

Many of the greatest tyrants on the records of history have begun their reigns in the fairest manner. But the truth is, this unnatural power corrupts both the heart and the understanding.

The truly sublime is always easy, and always natural.

The method of teaching which approaches most nearly to the method of investigation is incomparably the best.

There ought to be system of manners in every nation which a well-formed mind would be disposed to relish. To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely.

But whoever is a genuine follower of Truth, keeps his eye steady upon his guide, indifferent whither he is led, provided that she is the leader.

A good parson once said that where mystery begins religion ends. Cannot I say, as truly at least, of human laws, that where mystery begins justice ends?

You will not think it unnatural that those who have an object depending, which strongly engages their hopes and fears, should be somewhat inclining to superstition.

Law and arbitrary power are at eternal enmity.

Too much idleness, I have observed, fills up a man's time more completely and leaves him less his own master, than any sort of employment whatsoever

Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature.

Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart; nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the minds of tyrants.

Religious persecution may shield itself under the guise of a mistaken and over-zealous piety.

The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please: we ought to see what it will please them to do, before we risk congratulations.

In all forms of government the people is the true legislator.

Hypocrisy is no cheap vice; nor can our natural temper be masked for many years together.

The body of all true religion consists, to be sure, in obedience to the will of the Sovereign of the world, in a confidence in His declarations, and in imitation of His perfections.

The perfection of conversation is not to play a regular sonata, but, like the AEolian harp, to await the inspiration of the passing breeze.

Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions than ruined by too confident a security.

All human laws are, properly speaking, only declaratory; they may alter the mode and application, but have no power over the substance of original justice.

The only infallible criterion of wisdom to vulgar minds - success.

A very great part of the mischiefs that vex the world arises from words.

The cause of a wrong taste is a defect of judgment.

The tyranny of a multitude is a multiplied tyranny.

The grave is a common treasury, to which we must all be taken.

Nothing, indeed, but the possession of some power can with any certainty discover what at the bottom is the true character of any man.

Great men are never sufficiently shown but in struggles.

General rebellions and revolts of a whole people never were encouraged now or at any time. They are always provoked.

They made and recorded a sort of institute and digest of anarchy, called the rights of man.

To prove that the Americans ought not to be free, we are obliged to deprecate the value of freedom itself.

Its not our disabilities, its our abilities that count.

With respect to drugs, you know, there are a lot of organizations, including an enormous budget and an army at the federal government level that tries to deal with the drug problem.

The fire trucks are out, there are thousands of people in the streets. You have a choice. You can have this, or you let Negroes eat at the lunch counters.

But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?