Quotes Library

May 28, 2025

A friend in power is a friend lost.

Henry Adams (1838–1918), American historian, The Education of Henry Adams (1907), Seldes, p.4

How many friends have you lost in the course of your political career? How many have you made? How many of those do you think will remain friends after you leave office?

Substitute spouse, in-law, etc. for friend and it still holds true. Power makes demands on people different from what they have ever experienced before.


More Quotes

November 14, 2025
He preferred to be rather than to seem good.
January 31, 2025
It is we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; not yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.
March 22, 2025
Kim Campbell, the first female prime minister of Canada, was right when she said a 47-day-long election campaign (Imagine a campaign of only 47 days!) was not enough time to reconsider the nation’s social programs. But she was wrong to say so.
Page 8 of 125