Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.
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Those that are the loudest in their threats are the weakest in their actions.
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When the frustration of my helplessness seemed greatest, I discovered God's grace was more than sufficient. And after my imprisonment, I could look back and see how God used my powerlessness for His purpose. What He has chosen for my most significant witness was not my triumphs or victories, but my defeat.
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Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.
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It is better to meet danger than to wait for it. He that is on a lee shore, and foresees a hurricane, stands out to sea and encounters a storm to avoid a shipwreck.
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The consequences of things are not always proportionate to the apparent magnitude of those events that have produced them. Thus the American Revolution, from which little was expected, produced much; but the French Revolution, from which much was expected, produced little.
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Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads. No man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited power.
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Did universal charity prevail, earth would be a heaven, and hell a fable.
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Commerce flourishes by circumstances, precarious, transitory, contingent, almost as the winds and waves that bring it to our shores.
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There are some frauds so well conducted that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them.
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Tyrants have not yet discovered any chains that can fetter the mind.
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Ladies of Fashion starve their happiness to feed their vanity, and their love to feed their pride.
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War kills men, and men deplore the loss; but war also crushes bad principles and tyrants, and so saves societies.
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The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility.
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If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; if you would know, and not be known, live in a city.
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Knowledge is two-fold, and consists not only in an affirmation of what is true, but in the negation of that which is false.
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To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than their own hearts in their closet.
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Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.
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It is always safe to learn, even from our enemies; seldom safe to venture to instruct, even our friends.
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Many books require no thought from those who read them, and for a very simple reason; they made no such demand upon those who wrote them.
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There is nothing more imprudent than excessive prudence.
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Avarice has ruined more souls than extravagance.
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The drafts which true genius draws upon posterity, although they may not always be honored so soon as they are due, are sure to be paid with compound interest in the end.
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Men are born with two eyes, but only one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.
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We own almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed but to those who have differed.
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There are two way of establishing a reputation, one to be praised by honest people and the other to be accused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the first one, because it will always be accompanied by the latter.
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We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear.
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The two most precious things this side of the grave are our reputation and our life. But it is to be lamented that the most contemptible whisper may deprive us of the one, and the weakest weapon of the other.
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Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.
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Friendship often ends in love but love in friendship - never.
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