Marquis de Lafayette

"I cannot conceive of true happiness without the consciousness of having contributed to the good of mankind."

"Let us guard against the adoption of views which may eventually prove destructive to our freedom."

"The principle of succession is of that importance that no nation can neglect it without the utmost peril."

"I have always believed that the surest basis of public liberty is public virtue."

"We must learn to think like men of action and act like men of thought."

"A man may be born, but in order to be born he must first die, and in order to die he must first awake."

"Youth must have liberty; it requires experience only to ripen liberty into wisdom."

"I have learned that the secret of happiness is never to look back."

"The success of any endeavor depends upon the harmony of action and purpose."

"I believe in the indefinite improvement of human nature through education and practice."

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects the freedom of others."

"The true greatness of a nation is measured not by its armies but by its wisdom and virtue."

"My ambition has always been to live for humanity, not for myself."

"Peace is the fruit of activity, not of sleep."

"I have never sought power for its own sake, but only for the sake of the principles it might serve."

"The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves."

"Every step forward in the cause of human freedom represents a victory for the entire human race."

"I believe that truth is the best apology for error."

"The fountain of success is not found in the talents we possess but in the courage with which we use them."

"I have always held that a volunteer is worth two conscripts."

"The principle of toleration must extend to all religions and all philosophies."

"We must build a society where talent and virtue, not birth, determine a man's place."

"Every man who lives has the right to pursue his own happiness in his own way."

"I have learned that the greatest victories are often won without firing a shot."

"The future is less important than the principles we uphold in the present."

"A man who would sacrifice his liberty for security deserves neither."

"I believe in the power of education to transform not just individuals but entire nations."

"The art of government is the art of being honest and sincere."

"I have found that the greatest strength lies in the unity of purpose among free people."

"Happiness is not a state to be attained but a direction to be chosen."