Henry AdamsThinkers

Chaos (n.) is life-giving — Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.

Chaos (n.) is wont to breed life, while order breeds habit.

Charles Sumner (n.) is a man whose mind had reached the calm of water which receives and reflects images without absorbing them; it contained nothing but itself.

Contradiction (n.) is a mere trifle to be easily set aside; the faculty of ignoring them makes the practical man.

Russia (n.) is omnipotence ... who can ever penetrate that polar mystery?

Rutherford B. Hayes (n.) is a third-rate nonentity, whose only recommendation is that he is obnoxious to no one.

A Teacher (n.) is one who affects eternity; no one can tell where his influence stops.

Ulysses S. Grant (n.) is an imbecile. A study of the presidency from Washington to him is sufficient to disprove Darwin.

The Word (n.) is slippery.