There are chance meetings with strangers that interest us from the first moment, before a word is spoken.

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded.

No nation is fit to sit in judgment upon any other nation.

The less intelligent the white man is, the more stupid he thinks the black.

The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.

France has neither winter, summer, nor morals—apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Africa has her mysteries, and even a wise man cannot understand them. But a wise man respects them.

Who sees all beings in his own self, and his own self in all beings, loses all fear.

When the missionaries first came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, “Let us pray.” We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land.

To think ill of mankind, and not wish ill to them, is perhaps the highest wisdom and virtue.

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.