for there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.

A smile is the chosen vehicle of all ambiguities.

I am, as I am; whether hideous, or handsome, depends upon who is made judge.

Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.

Dream tonight of peacock tails, Diamond fields and spouter whales. Ills are many, blessing few, But dreams tonight will shelter you.

Toil is man's allotment; toil of brain, or toil of hands, or a grief that's more than either, the grief and sin of idleness.

Meditation and water are wedded for ever.

I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.

Aye, aye! and I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up.

War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.

Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.

Ten books in and the Red Stone Security series is still going strong because of you, my wonderful readers. Thank you.

To that movement, consecrated by religious principle, sustained by an awful sense of justice, and cheered by the brightest hopes of future good, all our powers, talents, and attainments are devoted.

If the land mechanism as a whole is good then every part is good, whether we understand it or not.

The true destiny of America is religious, not political: it is spiritual, not physical.

You insisted on thinking of them as angels, even if they were fallen angels.

Error, by force of contrast, enhances the triumph of Truth.

Women in my family are the center of things. All good things emanate from them. The guys usually mess up.

A man who deals in fairness with his own, he can make manifest justice in the state.

Try everything. Do everything. Nuclear. Biomass. Coal. Solar. You name it. I support them all.