“The more contracted that power is, the more easily it is destroyed. A country governed by a despot is an inverted cone.” – Samuel Johnson, as quoted in James Boswell’s ‘The Life of Samuel Johnson’ (1791) vol. 3, p. 283 (April 14, 1778)
“And in those weaker glories spy Some shadows of eternity.” – Henry Vaughan, ‘The Retreat’, from ‘Silex Scintillans’ (circa 1650)
“Rulers have no authority from God to do mischief…As soon as the prince sets himself up above the law, he loses the king in the tyrant. He does to all intents and purpose unking himself…and in such cases has no more right to be obeyed than any inferior officer who acts beyond his commission.” – Jonathan Mayhew (1720-1766), ‘A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers’, January 30, 1750
“Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1788
“La mejor salsa del mundo es el hambre.” (The best sauce in the world is hunger.) Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), ‘Don Quixote’ (1605) Part 2, Chapter 5
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, …
“Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of …
“They’re murdering us here. Let’s move inland and get murdered.” – Colonel Charles D. Canham, 116th Infantry Regiment commander, on Omaha Beach. June 6, 1944. (Pictured later, as a Major General.)
“Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.” Translated: Let him who desires peace, prepare for war.” – Publius Vegetius Renatus, commonly known as Vegetius, a Roman writer of the 4th Century, A.D.. (This quote is usually cited in the form: Si vis pacem, para bellum — “If you want peace, prepare for war”) From: ‘De Rei Militari’ 3, prologue.
“Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though for but one year, can never willingly abandon it.” – Edmund Burke (1729-1797), from ‘Letter to a Member of the National Assembly’ (1791)
“We shouldn’t be stockpiling bitcoins. We should stockpiling guns, bullets, tanks, planes, drones, you know, rare earths. We know we need to do it. It’s not a mystery.” – JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, May 30, 2025
“An experienced, industrious, ambitious, and quite often picturesque liar.” – Mark Twain, from ‘Private History of a Campaign that Failed’ in Century Magazine, December 1885
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward …
“Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us? They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the …
“When writing your will, I suggest that you show some studied regard for what you leave in the hands of your progeny. You should name each of your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews with specific tangible bequests. Merely writing a Dollar sum signifies nothing. Do not leave them toys and trifles. Instead, leave them tools and rifles. Specifically name for each inheritor a quantity of silver, a couple of guns, a knife, several quality hand tools, and a stack of good books — to educate and to edify. A proper bequest becomes a quest for a righteous and meaningful life.” …
