Lord Acton Quote Archive

Law, not anger, should be the primary weapon of the state.

“Power always thinks it has a great Soul, and vast Views, beyond the Comprehension of the Weak, and that it is doing God’s Service, when it is violating all his Laws.” —John Adams1

Does what happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness?

Tranquility—Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. • Chastity—Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation. • Humility—Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

state government was a vicegerent of God and His absolute law—rather than God and morality being the arbitrary tools of an absolute state (as in Machiavelli’s The Prince,7 first written in 1513).