Life is made up not of great sacrifices or duties but of little things in which smiles and kindness and small obligations given habitually are what preserve the heart and secure comfort.

Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones.

When small men attempt great enterprises they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity.

Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.

The water in a vessel is sparkling the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear the great truth has great silence.

Whatever I have tried to do in life I have tried with all my heart to do it well whatever I have devoted myself to I have devoted myself completely in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

If you cannot do great things do small things in a great way.

Small minds are concerned with the extraordinary great minds with the ordinary.

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.

Great acts are made up of small deeds.

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy and great things in that which is small.

Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish - too much handling will spoil it.

Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

Harmony makes small things grow lack of it makes great things decay.

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.

Great people talk about ideas average people talk about things and small people talk about wine.

I long to accomplish a great and noble task but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.

One sees great things from the valley only small things from the peak.

Great minds discuss ideas average minds discuss events small minds discuss people.

Everybody wants you to do good things but in a small town you pretty much graduate and get married. Mostly you marry have children and go to their football games.

As the economy faces such difficulties more tough questions need to be asked about what the Tories would do if elected. Their ideology of free markets and small government needs challenging. That has to be part of our job.

I believe that smaller government is better government. But I also believe that in the areas where government does play a legitimate role we should demand that it is done better.