The compromise will always be more expensive than either of the suggestions it is compromising.

The compromise will always be more expensive than either of the suggestions it is compromising.

Compromise is never anything but an ignoble truce between the duty of a man and the terror of a coward.

Compromise is never anything but an ignoble truce between the duty of a man and the terror of a coward.

Real life is, to most men, a long second-best, a perpetual compromise between the ideal and the possible but the read more

Real life is, to most men, a long second-best, a perpetual compromise between the ideal and the possible but the world of pure reason knows no compromise, no practical limitations, no barrier to the creative activity.

From compromise and things half done, Keep me with stern and stubborn pride; And when at read more

From compromise and things half done, Keep me with stern and stubborn pride; And when at last the fight is won, God, keep me still unsatisfied.

If you are not very clever, you should be conciliatory.

If you are not very clever, you should be conciliatory.

The 'morality of compromise' sounds contradictory. Compromise is usually a sign of weakness, or an admission of defeat. Strong men read more

The 'morality of compromise' sounds contradictory. Compromise is usually a sign of weakness, or an admission of defeat. Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.

People talk about the middle of the road as though it were unacceptable. Actually, all human problems, excepting morals, come read more

People talk about the middle of the road as though it were unacceptable. Actually, all human problems, excepting morals, come into the gray areas. Things are not all black and white. There have to be compromises. The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters.

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.

All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.

All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.