If those extra-social brains are so potent, why after all do they effect so little? A dull police-officer, with the machine behind him, can afford to laugh at most experiments in anarchy. John Buchan More Quotes by John Buchan More Quotes From John Buchan The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already. John Buchan leadership motivational inspirational I believe that all wisdom consists in caring immensely for a few right things, and not caring a straw about the rest. John Buchan wisdom life believe And where the deepest current crawls/ Like thistledown the dainty fly falls./ Then from the depths a silver gleam/ Quick flashes, like a jewel bright./ Up through the waters of the stream/ An instant visible to sight/ As lightning cleaves to sombre sky/ A rainbow rises to the fly. John Buchan sight lakes fall There may be peace without joy, and joy without peace, but the two combined make happiness. John Buchan happiness inspirational love It's a great life, if you don't weaken. John Buchan classic ifs I believe everything out of the common. The only thing to distrust is the normal. John Buchan normal common believe You think that a wall as solid as the earth separates civilization from barbarism. I tell you the division is a thread, a sheet of glass. A touch here, a push there, and you bring back the reign of Saturn. John Buchan wall life thinking I would have been content with any job however thankless, in any quarter however remote, if I had a chance of making a corner of the desert blossom and the solitary place glad. John Buchan would-be work jobs We can pay our debts to the past by putting the future in debt to ourselves. John Buchan debt pay past That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it. John Buchan study guarantees history The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. John Buchan fisherman trout fishing History gives us a kind of chart, and we dare not surrender even a small rushlight in the darkness. The hasty reformer who does not remember the past will find himself condemned to repeat it. John Buchan darkness giving past An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support. John Buchan humorous atheist funny He disliked emotion, not because he felt lightly, but because he felt deeply. John Buchan felt emotion Every man at the bottom of his heart believes that he is a born detective. John Buchan heart men believe Wise men never grow up; indeed, they grow younger, for they lose the appalling worldly wisdom of youth. John Buchan growing-up wise men [W]ithout humour you cannot run a sweetie-shop, let alone a nation. John Buchan humor running funny Peace is that state in which fear of any kind is unknown. John Buchan states kind peace Without humility there can be no humanity. John Buchan pride humility humanity To see what is right and not to do it is cowardice. It is never a question of who is right but what is right. John Buchan cowardice