Lord Palmerston

"The measure of success is not how much one gains, but how much one gives."

"A nation's future depends upon the education it provides its children."

"True power lies not in force, but in the ability to persuade."

"The most dangerous enemy is not the one you see, but the one you ignore."

"A statesman must think in terms of generations, not elections."

"Those who abandon principle for expedience will find neither."

"The strength of a nation is measured by the strength of its character."

"In the end, history judges not our popularity, but our integrity."

"A good government serves all its citizens, not merely the privileged few."

"The pursuit of happiness is noble, but it must not come at the expense of others."

"A man's legacy is not what he accumulates, but what he contributes."

"The true test of a nation's character is how it treats the least among its people."

"The function of government is to calm, not to excite the public mind."

"A nation does not have friends or enemies, it has interests."

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."

"We should be cautious about the judgments of the world, for the world is often wrong."

"History is but the record of human folly and wickedness."

"To keep the peace, you must be prepared for war."

"The greatest weakness is the attempt to appear strong when you are weak."

"Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggy while looking for a rock."

"A good foreign policy must be built upon understanding national interests, not sentiments."

"The preservation of peace depends upon understanding the balance of power."

"Truth is often the first casualty in matters of state."

"Ambition without ability is like a ship without a rudder."

"The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read."

"One must never underestimate the power of public opinion in shaping national policy."

"The art of politics is knowing when to advance and when to retreat."

"A statesman must think in terms of decades, not days."

"The duty of a government is to protect its citizens, not to enlighten them."

"Progress without prudence is folly."