“History is marked by alternating movements across the imaginary line that separates East from West in Eurasia.”

Unless a variety of opinions are laid before us, we have no opportunity of selection, but are bound of necessity to adopt the particular view which may have been brought forward.

The man who has planned badly, if fortune is on his side, may have had a stroke of luck; but his plan was a bad one nonetheless.

Great things are won by great dangers.

Far better it is to have a stout heart always and suffer one’s share of evils, than to be ever fearing what may happen.

Before a man dies, hold back and call him not happy but lucky.

Good masters generally have bad slaves, and bad slaves have good masters.

Adversity has the effect of drawing out strength and qualities of a man that would have laid dormant in its absence.

Where even a falsehood must be told, let it be told.

I am bound to tell what I am told, but not in every case to believe it.

Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.

Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.

The man of affluence is not in fact more happy than the possessor of a bare competency, unless, in addition to his wealth, the end of his life be fortunate. We often see misery dwelling in the midst of splendour, whilst real happiness is found in humbler stations.

As the old saw says well: every end does not appear together with its beginning. It’s impossible for someone who is human to have all good things together, just as there is no single country able to provide all good things for itself.

Chances rule men and not men chances.

How can a monarchy be a suitable thing, which allows a man to do as he pleases with none to hold him to account. And even if you were to take the best man on earth, and put him into a monarchy, you put outside him the thoughts that usually guide him.

All men’s gains are the fruit of venturing.

The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history.

If our history can challenge the next wave of musicians to keep moving and changing, to keep spiritually hungry and horny, that’s what it’s all about.

The church has historically been very slow to embrace technology. Until very recently, their idea of a laptop was an altar boy.

What we call National-Socialism is the poisonous perversion of ideas which have a long history in German intellectual life.

The first qualification for a historian is to have no ability to invent.

During the Depression, or back when we were fighting Hitler, people didn’t have time to sue a company if the coffee was too hot. There were urgent, pressing problems. If you think you have it tough, read history books.

Black history won’t stop no bullets.

History is not reassuring on the subject of the longevity of seemingly lasting great nations, is it?