“If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don't get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name.”
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The unforgivable crime is soft hitting. Do not hit at all if it can be avoided; but never hit softly.
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Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.
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The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.
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In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
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Wars are, of course, as a rule to be avoided; but they are far better than certain kinds of peace.
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