“All I have learned, I learned from books.”

“Anybody will do for you, but not for me. I must have somebody.”

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

“And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour  of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!”

“Women are the only people I am afraid of who I never thought would hurt me”

“Investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

“I am not concerned that you have fallen -- I am concerned that you arise.”

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”

“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.”

“Upon the subject of education ... I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in.”

“The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation is the philosophy of government in the next.”

“RESPONSE TO POLITICAL SMEAR TO ROBERT ALLEN New Salem, June 21, 1836 DEAR COLONEL:—I am told that during my absence last week you passed through this place, and stated publicly that you were in possession of a fact or facts which, if known to the public, would entirely destroy the prospects of N. W. Edwards and myself at the ensuing election; but that, through favor to us, you should forbear to divulge them. No one has needed favors more than I, and, generally, few have been less unwilling to accept them; but in this case favor to me would be injustice to the public, and therefore I must beg your pardon for declining it. That I once had the confidence of the people of Sangamon, is sufficiently evident; and if I have since done anything, either by design or misadventure, which if known would subject me to a forfeiture of that confidence, he that knows of that thing, and conceals it, is a traitor to his country’s interest. I find myself wholly unable to form any conjecture of what fact or facts, real or supposed, you spoke; but my opinion of your veracity will not permit me for a moment to doubt that you at least believed what you said. I am flattered with the personal regard you manifested for me; but I do hope that, on more mature reflection, you will view the public interest as a paramount consideration, and therefore determine to let the worst come. I here assure you that the candid statement of facts on your part, however low it may sink me, shall never break the tie of personal friendship between us. I wish an answer to this, and you are at liberty to publish both, if you choose. Very respectfully, A. LINCOLN.”

“you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”

“I never tire of reading