“Sensible people take precautions against possible disasters, and of course one man's idea of precaution is another man's silly worry, but whether we're heavy worriers or light worriers, we all have to draw the line somewhere, and say, "This thing happens too rarely to give me concern."”— Robert Hooke, amazon.com
“The vast majority of my anger and frustration comes from believing that people have almost limitless untapped potential but they choose to consider themselves finished products instead of works in progress.”— Elan Gale, twitter.com
“A small grove massacred to the last ash, An oak with heart-rot, give away the show: This great society is going to smash; They cannot fool us with how fast they go, How much they cost each other and the gods. A culture is no better than its woods.”— W. H. Auden, amazon.com
“Do my countrymen need any assurance that such a catastrophe is not to overtake them while I possess the power to stay it?”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“The field of calm and free discussion in our country is open, and will always be so, but never has been and never can be traversed for good in a spirit of sectionalism and uncharitabilities.”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace and amity with all nations”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“The stars upon your banner have become nearly threefold their original number; your densely populated possessions skirt the shores of the two great oceans; and yet this vast increase of people and territory has not only shown itself compatible with the harmonious action of the States and Federal Gov…”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“My Countrymen: It is a relief to feel that no heart but my own can know the personal regretan bitter sorrow over which I have been borne to a position so suitable for others rather than desirable for myself.”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“I rely confidently on the patriotism of the people, on the dignity and self-respect of the States, on the wisdom of Congreess, and, above all, on the continued gracious favor of Almighty God to maintain against all enemies, whether at home or abroad, the sanctity of the Constitution and the integrit…”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“Nor is it hostility against their fellow-citizens of one section if the Union alone. The interersts, the honor, the duty, the peace, and the prosperity of the people of all sections are equally involved and imperiled in this question.”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“I know that the Union is stronger a thousand times than all the wild and chimerical schemes of social change which are generated one after another in the unstable minds of visionary sophists and interested agitators.”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“You have summoned me in my weakness. You must sustain me by your strength.”— Franklin Pierce, amazon.com
“Liberty? Independence? Are they to remain only words? Gentlemen, let us make them fighting words!”— Nathan Hale, amazon.com
“Much of my education has been about grasping nuance, shades of gray. Resisting the urge to oversimplify the complexity of human motivation. This year has taught me that, actually, a lot of what really matters comes down to good people and bad people. And these are bad people.”— Susan Hennessey, twitter.com
“Everyone comes into your life for a reason. Sometimes the reason is to teach you that you have appallingly bad taste on who you let into your life.”— Jennifer Wright, twitter.com
“"I trust, our Friendship though begun of late Hath been no less sincere, than intimate. Of this I’m sure; I’ve not as yet regretted, That to your Company I’ve been admitted. "”— Nathan Hale, amazon.com
“People who can change and change again are so much more reliable and happier than those who can’t.”— Stephen Fry, amazon.co.uk
“I wish to be useful, and every kind of service necessary to the public good becomes honorable by being necessary.”— Nathan Hale, amazon.com