"We are accustomed to say, that the mass of men are unprepared; but improvement is slow, because the few are not materially wiser or better than the many. It is not so important that many should be as good as you, as that there be some absolute goodness somewhere; for that will leaven the whole lump."
January 1, 1970
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Civil_Disobedience_(Thoreau)