A monarchy is a merchantman which sails well, but will sometimes strike on a rock, and go to the bottom; a republic is a raft which will never sink, but then your feet are always in the water.
Attributed to Ames, speaking in the House of Representatives, 1795; quoted by R. W. Emerson in 'Essays' (2nd series, 1844) no. 7, but not traced in Ames's speeches
