Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
— Anon. (c.2009)
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If you want to find out what a man is to the bottom, give him power. Any man can stand adversity; only a great man can stand prosperity. It is the glory of Abraham Lincoln that he never abused power, only on the side of mercy.
— Robert G. Ingersoll
This longer quotation is very often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln himself, either with the final sentence clipped off, or with the whole thing paraphrased, as in the short version of the quote, above.
In fact, Ingersoll spoke the words on January 15th, 1883, while introducing Professor Alexander Marsden Kidd (cleverly nicknamed "Captain"), who was about to give a lecture on Lincoln, in Washington, D.C.
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Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy.
— Robert G. Ingersoll