William Penn Quotes - Page 2

No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.

The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.

In all debates, let truth be thy aim, not victory, or an unjust interest.

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

Nothing shows our weakness more than to be so sharp-sighted at spying other men's faults, and so purblind about our own.

We are told truly that meekness and modesty are the rich and charming garments of the soul. The less showy our outward attire is, the more distinctly and brilliantly does the beauty of these inner garments shine.

Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.

Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them, and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad; if it be ill, they will cure it. But if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavour to warp and spoil it to their turn.

My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.

Knowledge is the treasure of a wise man.

All excess is ill, but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is quarrelsome, lascivious, impudent, dangerous and mad. In fine, he that is drunk is not a man: because he is so long void of Reason, that distinguishes a Man from a Beast.

Never give out while there is hope; but hope not beyond reason, for that shows more desire than judgement.

People are more afraid of the laws of Man than of God, because their punishment seems to be nearest.

The truest end of life is to know the life that never ends.

Truth never lost ground by enquiry.

The country life is to be preferred, for there we see the works of God; but in cities little else but the works of men. And the one makes a better subject for contemplation than the other.

If you protect a man from folly, you will soon have a nation of fools.

True silence is the rest of the mind, and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.

Force may make hypocrites, but it can never make converts.

Death is only a horizon, and a horizon is only the limit of your sight. Open your eyes to see more clearly.

There can be no Friendship where there is no Freedom.

O Lord, help me not to despise or oppose what I do not understand.

If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him. Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.

The Remedy often proves worse than the Disease.