Most history is a record of the triumphs, disasters, and follies of top people. The black hole in it is read more

Most history is a record of the triumphs, disasters, and follies of top people. The black hole in it is the way of life of mute, inglorious men and women who make no nuisance of themselves in the world.

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will read more

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.

Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress read more

Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.

History is more or less bunk.

History is more or less bunk.

Nothing is improbable until it moves into past tense.

Nothing is improbable until it moves into past tense.

History is fond of her grandchildren, for it offers them the marrow of the bones, which the previous generation had read more

History is fond of her grandchildren, for it offers them the marrow of the bones, which the previous generation had hurt its hands in breaking.

Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world...

Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world...

History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies.

History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies.

I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something read more

I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else - I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.