“Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon foi, believes itself right. Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views, beyond the comprehension of the weak.”

—  John Adams

Letter to Thomas Jefferson (2 February 1816)
1810s

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon foi, believes itself right. Power always thinks it has a great sou…" by John Adams?
John Adams photo
John Adams 202
2nd President of the United States 1735–1826

Related quotes

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni photo

“The heart itself is beyond control. That is its power, and its weakness.”

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (1956) novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist

Source: The Palace of Illusions

Auguste Rodin photo
Nikolai Berdyaev photo
Brent Weeks photo

“It may be beyond your comprehension, but I can hold power without using it.”

Source: The Way of Shadows (2008), Chapter 16 (p. 130)

Tamora Pierce photo

“There is power and there is power, my dear. My power can be vast, in the right places.”

Tamora Pierce (1954) American writer of fantasy novels for children

Source: Trickster's Queen

David Hume photo
John Locke photo
Morihei Ueshiba photo
Albert Einstein photo

“My religion consists of an humble admiration for the vast power which manifests itself in that small part of the universe which our poor, weak minds can grasp!”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

1930s, Wisehart interview (1930)
Context: I do not believe in a God who maliciously or arbitrarily interferes in the personal affairs of mankind. My religion consists of an humble admiration for the vast power which manifests itself in that small part of the universe which our poor, weak minds can grasp!

Related topics