Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The four first Acts already past,
A fifth shall read more

Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The four first Acts already past,
A fifth shall close the Drama with the day;
Time's noblest offspring is the last.

He who moves not forward, goes backward

He who moves not forward, goes backward

Speak softly, and carry a big stick; you will go far.

Speak softly, and carry a big stick; you will go far.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, but the unreasonable man tries to adapt the world to him--therefore, all read more

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, but the unreasonable man tries to adapt the world to him--therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.

Laws and institutions are constantly tending to gravitate. Like
clocks, they must be occasionally cleansed, and wound up, and read more

Laws and institutions are constantly tending to gravitate. Like
clocks, they must be occasionally cleansed, and wound up, and set
to true time.

Finds progress, man's distinctive mark alone,
Not God's, and not the beast's;
God is, they are,
read more

Finds progress, man's distinctive mark alone,
Not God's, and not the beast's;
God is, they are,
Man partly is, and wholly hopes to be.

Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation

Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation

And striving to be Man, the worm
Mounts through all the spires of form.

And striving to be Man, the worm
Mounts through all the spires of form.

From lower to the higher next,
Not to the top, is Nature's text;
And embryo good, to read more

From lower to the higher next,
Not to the top, is Nature's text;
And embryo good, to reach full stature,
Absorbs the evil in its nature.