The war will, I think, quicken him up.

It will lessen his arrogance--to _us_, at least.

I think it will make him stronger and humbler.

And, whatever his virtues and his faults, he's the only Great Power we can go hand in hand with....
These kinds of things have been going on now nearly two years, and not till these ten days down here have I had time or chance or a free mind to think them over; and now there's nothing in particular to think--nothing but just to go on, doing these 40,000 things (and they take a new turn every day) the best I can, without the slightest regard to consequences.

I've long ago passed the place where, having acted squarely according to my best judgment, I can afford to pay the slightest attention to what anybody thinks.