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How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking!

Abigail Adams

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Abigail Adams
Age: 73 †
Born: 1744
Born: November 22
Died: 1818
Died: October 28
First Lady
Politician
Weymouth
Massachusetts
Abigail Smith
Abigail Smith Adams
Sacrifice
Hopes
Capable
Task
Pride
Souls
Fire
Tasks
Public
Noble
Weal
Difficult
Expectations
Quench
Soul
Ambition
Undertaking
Private
Undertakings

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A people fired ... with love of their country and of liberty, a zeal for the public good, and a noble emulation of glory, will not be disheartened or dispirited by a succession of unfortunate events. But like them, may we learn by defeat the power of becoming invincible.
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I hope some future day will bring me the happiness of seeing my family again collected under our own roof, happy in ourselves and blessed in each other.
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I am more and more convinced that man is a dangerous creature.
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Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.
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The great fish swallow up the small and he who is most strenuous for the rights of the people, when vested with power, is as eager after the prerogatives of government.
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Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have been afraid of it since.
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These are times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed.
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The reins of government have been so long slackened, that I fear the people will not quietly submit to those restraints which are necessary for the peace and security of the community.
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Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons.
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Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.
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A people may let a king fall, yet still remain a people, but if a king let his people slip from him, he is no longer a king.
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I acknowledge myself a unitarian
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I feel anxious for the fate of our monarchy, or democracy, or whatever is to take place. I soon get lost in a labyrinth of perplexities but, whatever occurs, may justice and righteousness be the stability of our times, and order arise out of confusion. Great difficulties may be surmounted by patience and perseverance.
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I begin to think, that a calm is not desirable in any situation in life. Man was made for action and for bustle too, I believe.
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When men know not what to do, they ought not to do they know not what
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May your mind be thoroughly impressed with the absolute necessity of universal virtue and goodness, as the only sure road to happiness, and may you walk therein with undeviating steps.
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Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands.
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If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.
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Dark and sour humours, especially those which have a spice of malevolence in them, are vastly disagreeable. Such men have no music in their souls.
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Every object is beautiful in motion a ship under sail, trees gently agitated with the wind, and a fine woman dancing, are three instances in point
Abigail Adams