Washington Irving

"A man's success is measured not by the height he has risen, but by the obstacles he has overcome."

"The pursuit of knowledge is the pursuit of freedom in its most exalted form."

"Humor is the good-natured side of truth; it is the salt of conversation and the seasoning of life."

"The greatest power on earth is the power of persuasion through gentleness and reason."

"A man without hope is a man without strength."

"True religion is the love of God manifested in the love of man."

"The cultivation of the intellect is as necessary to happiness as the cultivation of the heart."

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

"The greatest victories are those won by the spirit over the flesh."

"Creativity is the recombination of elements in new and unexpected ways."

"A man's worst enemy may very well be his own thoughts."

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step into the unknown."

"True power is the ability to inspire others without commanding them."

"The preservation of liberty is the highest responsibility of government."

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of."

"A society is only as strong as the character of its individual members."

"The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original dimensions."

"War is the harvest of accumulated wrongs and injustices."

"The true measure of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."

"Each day brings with it fresh opportunities to grow, to learn, and to become more fully human."