Quotes

Quote 5 of 9

A man's first duty, a young man's at any rate, is to be ambitious.
Ambition is a noble passion which may legitimately take many forms;
there was <em>something</em> noble in the ambition of Atilla or
Napoleon: but the noblest ambition is that of leaving behind one
something of permanent value--

  Here, on the level sand,
  Between the sea and land,
  What shall I build or write,
  Against the fall of night?
  
  The me of runes to grave
  That hold the bursting wave,
  Or bastions to design
  For longer date than mane.

Part 7, p. 77

Tags: bastions atilla runes ambition napoleon youngman lt passion