People do not always understand the motives of sublime conduct, and when they are astonished they are very apt to think they ought to be alarmed. The truth is none are fit judges of greatness but those who are capable of it.

Nobility, without virtue, is a fine setting without a gem.

The mob is a sort of bear; while your ring is through its nose, it will even dance under your cudgel; but should the ring slip, and you lose your hold, the brute will turn and rend you.

Dr. Johnson has said that the chief glory of a country arises from its authors. But then that is only as they are oracles of wisdom; unless they teach virtue, they are more worthy of a halter than of the laurel.

I never yet heard man or woman much abused that I was not inclined to think the better of them, and to transfer the suspicion or dislike to the one who found pleasure in pointing out the defects of another.

Imparting knowledge is only lighting other men's candles at our lamp without depriving ourselves of any flame.

People do not always understand the motives of sublime conduct, and when they are astonished they are very apt to think they ought to be alarmed. The truth is none are fit judges of greatness but those who are capable of it.

Happiness is a sunbeam which may pass through a thousand bosoms without losing a particle of its original ray; nay, when it strikes on a kindred heart, like the converged light on a mirror, it reflects itself with redoubled brightness. It is not perfected till it is shared.

The best manner of avenging ourselves is by not resembling him who has injured us.

Happiness is a sunbeam which may pass through a thousand bosoms without losing a particle of its original ray nay when it strikes on a kindred heart like the converged light on a mirror it reflects itself with redoubled brightness. It is not perfected till it is shared.

Nobility without virtue is a fine setting without a gem.

It has to do with the fact that Ford, for all his greatness, is an Irish egomaniac, as anyone who knows him will say.

Governor, why wouldn't anyone want to say the Pledge of Allegiance, unless they detested their own country or were ignorant of its greatness?

The only greatness for man is immortality.

If we can but tear the blindfold of self-deception from our eyes and loosen the gag of self-denial from our voices, we can restore our country to greatness.

The price of greatness is responsibility.

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.

Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them.

Many have had their greatness made for them by their enemies.

Greatness, generally speaking, is an unusual quantity of a usual quality grafted upon a common man.

Just as a child respects his father even when he perceives his weaknesses and faults, so a German will not despise the old Germany which was once a symbol of greatness to him.

To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.

Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.

We feel unsatisfied until we know ourselves akin even with that greatness which made the spots on which it rested hallowed; and until, by our own lives, and by converse with the thoughts they have bequeathed us, we feel that union and relationship of the spirit which we seek.

Therefore let men withdraw themselves from errors; and laying aside corrupt superstitions, let them acknowledge their Father and Lord, whose excellence cannot be estimated, nor His greatness perceived, nor His beginning comprehended.

As machines become more and more efficient and perfect, so it will become clear that imperfection is the greatness of man.

A child does not notice the greatness and the beauty of nature and the splendor of God in his works.

When you close your eyes to tragedy, you close your eyes to greatness.

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.

Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness should be waiting for us in our graves - or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth.

No university in the world has ever risen to greatness without a correspondingly great library... When this is no longer true, then will our civilization have come to an end.

No, our greatness does not come from our government.

No one who has come to true greatness has not felt in some degree that his life belongs to the people, and what God has given them he gives it for mankind.

Now, we occupy a lowly position, both in space and rank in comparison with the heavenly sphere, and the Almighty is Most High not in space, but with respect to absolute existence, greatness and power.

I never knew a man come to greatness or eminence who lay abed late in the morning.

Every day, people settle for less than they deserve. They are only partially living or at best living a partial life. Every human being has the potential for greatness.

The World Trade Center is a living symbol of man's dedication to world peace... a representation of man's belief in humanity, his need for individual dignity, his beliefs in the cooperation of men, and, through cooperation, his ability to find greatness.

Greatness, in order to gain recognition, must all too often consent to ape greatness.

Nothing liberates our greatness like the desire to help, the desire to serve.

To achieve greatness one should live as if they will never die.

Difficulty, my brethren, is the nurse of greatness - a harsh nurse, who roughly rocks her foster - children into strength and athletic proportion.

I continue to have a special pride and passion for AOL, and I strongly believe that AOL - once the leading Internet company in the world - can return to its past greatness.

Our destiny is greatness and we must return to its fulfillment.

The line between greatness and obscurity is very, very small.

It is criminal to steal a purse, daring to steal a fortune, a mark of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases.

Illusions of grandeur are not the same as visions of greatness.

Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.

I believe Georgia should aspire to nothing less than greatness. And I believe greatness is within our grasp.