Related:

• The great man does not think beforehand of his words that they may be sincere nor of his actions that they may be resolute -- he simply speaks and does what is right.
  -- Mencius (Meng-tse) (372?-289? BCE)...
• Actions are neither as good nor as evil as impulses.
• When a resolute fellow steps up to that great bully
  he world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find that the beard comes off in his hand, that it was only tied on to scare away timid adventurers....
• The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be
  because he shows you, by his manner, that he thinks it mere condescension in him...
• It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly...
• Politicians neither love nor hate. Interest, not sentiment, directs them.
  -- Fourth Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773)...
• When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness that he hath committed and doeth that which is neither quite lawful nor quite righ
  he generally be found to have gained in amiability what he has lost in holiness....
• As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the operational arts, nor is he a tactician, nor is he a general, nor is he as a soldier.
  Other than that, he's a great military man, I want you to know that....
• It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
  The credit belongs to he man who is actually in the arena...