Tempered Quotes

The ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.

Earnestness is enthusiasm tempered by reason.

The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall.

A spirit, breathing the language of independence, is natural to Englishmen, few of whom are disposed to brook compulsion, or submit to the dictates of others, when not softened by reason, or tempered with kindness.

Power must be used, but it must be tempered by soul-searching and the recognition of our human capacity for error. That is the maxim that should inform our approach to every challenge, from reforming state government to engaging in foreign affairs.

A man who dreads trials and difficulties cannot become a revolutionary. If he is to become a revolutionary with an indomitable fighting spirit, he must be tempered in the arduous struggle from his youth. As the saying goes, early training means more than late earning.

I have always thought that foreign-policy idealism has to be tempered with realism.

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace.

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.

It seldom happens that any felicity comes so pure as not to be tempered and allayed by some mixture of sorrow.

The worst tempered people I have ever met were those who knew that they were wrong.

To be a good actor... it is necessary to have a firmly tempered soul, to be surprised at nothing, to resume each minute the laborious task that has barely just been finished.

Every day of my life I walk with the idea that I am black, no matter how successful I am. And our success is tempered by that; you're successful in this way given the fact you are black, and most blacks don't get to that point.

Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception.

An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.

There is no earthly reason why a solo string instrument or voice, having the possibility to play or sing pure intonation, should want, or try, to be tempered.

The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination.

Ambition is best tempered with self-knowledge!

Candor and generosity, unless tempered by due moderation, leads to ruin.

There was a Republican majority of the Senate, and it tempered the nature of the nominations being made.

In course of time, religion came with its rites invoking the aid of good spirits which were even more powerful than the bad spirits, and thus for the time being tempered the agony of fears.

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

A theory must be tempered with reality.

As the war on terrorism spreads and prolongs, the fruits of ending the threat of terrorism around the world will be tempered with a whole new series of problems to be addressed and resolved.