“In general, if any branch of trade, or any division of labour, be advantageous to the public, the freer and more general the competition, it will always be the more so.” – Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Vol. One
“Those exertions of the natural liberty of a few individuals, which might endanger the security of the whole society, are, and ought to be, restrained by the laws of all governments; of the most free, as well as of the most despotical.” – Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Vol. One
“It is not by augmenting the capital of the country, but by rendering a greater part of that capital active and productive than would otherwise be so, that the most judicious operations of banking can increase the industry of the country.” – Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Vol. One
“The executive officer of the 106th Infantry [Regiment] recalled that, during a briefing of principal commanders and staff officers at Pearl Harbor in January [1944], Admiral Turner said, in effect: ‘I say to you commanders of ships—your mission is to put the troops ashore and support their attack to the limit of your capabilities. We expect to lose some ships! If your mission demands it, risk your ship!’” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “Part III, The Marshalls: Quickening the Pace” (emphasis in original)
“Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.” – Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, private correspondence, June 1815
“As a madman’s epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 5.1
“To be said, an honest man and a good housekeeper, goes as fairly as to say, a careful man and a great scholar.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 4.2
“In nature there’s no blemish but the mind; none can be call’d deform’d but the unkind: virtue is beauty; but the beauteous-evil are empty trunks o’erflourish’d by the devil.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.4
“It comes to pass oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.4
“Youth is bought more oft than begged or borrowed.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.4
“There is no love-broker in the world can more prevail in man’s commendation with woman than report of valour.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.2
“Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.1
“Wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.1
“Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.1
“They that dally nicely with words may quickly make them wanton.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 3.1
“The firefight that you lose is usually your last one.” – Roland Bartetzko, Quora Digest
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 2.5
“What is love? ’tis not hereafter; present mirth hath present laughter; what’s to come is still unsure: in delay there lies no plenty; then come kiss me, sweet and twenty, youth’s a stuff will not endure.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 2.3
“Those wits that think they have thee, do very oft prove fools; and I, that am sure I lack thee, may pass for a wise man. For what says Quinapalus? Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.5
“Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.5
“God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.5
“Care’s an enemy to life.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.3
“What great ones do, the less will prattle of.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.2
“O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will 1.1
“If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 1.1
“We cannot but wonder and grieve that we should appear so despicable in your eyes as to be thought unworthy to petition or represent our grievances to this honourable House. Have we not an equal interest with the men of this nation in those liberties and securities contained in the Petition of Right, and other the good laws of the land? Are any of our lives, limbs, liberties, or goods to be taken from us more than from men, but by due process of law and conviction of twelve sworn men of the neighbourhood? And can you imagine us to be so sottish or stupid as not to perceive, or not to be sensible when daily those strong defences of our peace and welfare are broken down and trod underfoot by force and arbitrary power?” – from “A Petition of Women, Affecters and Approvers of the Petition of Sept. 11, 1648 ” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)
“The truth is (and we see we must either now speak or for ever be silent), we have long expected things of another nature from you, and such as . . . That you would not have followed the example of former tyrannous and superstitious Parliaments in making orders, ordinances or laws, or in appointing punishments, concerning opinions or things supernatural, styling some blasphemies, others heresies, whenas you know yourselves easily mistaken and that divine truths need no human helps to support them; such proceedings having been generally invented to divide the people amongst themselves, and to affright men from that liberty of discourse by which corruption and tyranny would be soon discovered.” – from the Levellers’ “Petition to the House of Commons” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)
“It is an ordinance amongst men, and for men, that all men may have a human subsistence and safety, to live as men amongst men, none to be excepted from this human subsistence but the unnatural and the inhuman. It is not for this opinion or that faction, this sect or that sort, but equally and alike indifferent for all men that are not degenerated from humanity and human civility in their living and neighbourhood. And therefore the destroyers and subverters of human society, safety, cohabitation, and being, are to be corrected, expulsed, or cut off for preservation of safety and prevention of ruin, both public and private.” – Richard Overton, “An Appeal from the Commons to the Free People” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)
“Greater love and mercy cannot be amongst men than to take compassion over the helpless and destitute.” – Richard Overton, “An Appeal from the Commons to the Free People” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)
“All degrees and titles magisterial are all subservient to popular safety, all instituted and ordained only for it. For without it can be no human society, cohabitation, or being; which above all earthly things must be maintained as the earthly sovereign good of mankind, let what or who will, perish or be confounded. For mankind must be preserved upon the earth, and to this preservation all the children of men have an equal title by birth.” – Richard Overton, “An Appeal from the Commons to the Free People” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)