William Penn Quotes
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My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.
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The usefulest truths are the plainest.
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If you protect a man from folly, you will soon have a nation of fools.
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You are Englishmen; mind your privileges, give not away your right.
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Passion is a sort of fever in the mind, which ever leaves us weaker than it found us.
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Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
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Wherefore, brethren, let us be careful neither to out-go our guide, nor yet loiter behind him; since he that makes haste, may miss his way, and he that stays behind, lose his guide.
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Show is not substance; realities govern wise men.
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That plenty should produce either covetousness or prodigality is a perversion of providence; and yet the generality of men are the worse for their riches.
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Government seems to me to be a part of religion itself - a thing sacred in its institutions and ends.
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Every stroke our fury strikes is sure to hit ourselves at last.
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Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.
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Always remember to bound thy thoughts to the present occasion.
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Interest has the security, though not the virtue of a principle. As the world goes, it is the surest side; for men daily leave both relations and religion to follow it.
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Love labour: for if thou dost not want it for food, thou mayest for physique. It is wholesome for the body, and good for the mind. It prevents the fruits of idleness, which many times come of nothing to do, and leads many to do what is worse than nothing.
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For we put the power in the people.
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Frugality is good if liberality be joined with it. The first is leaving off superfluous expenses; the last is bestowing them to the benefit of others that need. The first without the last begets covetousness; the last without the first begets prodigality.
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If thou thinkest twice before thou speakest once, thou wilt speak twice the better for it.
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It is a coal from God's altar must kindle our fire; and without fire, true fire, no acceptable sacrifice.
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A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we ever do evil that good may come of it. We are too ready to retaliate, rather than forgive, or gain by love and information. And yet we could hurt no man that we believe loves us. Let us, then, try what love will do: for if men do once see that we love them, we should soon find they would not harm us. Force may subdue, but love gains; and he that forgives first, wins the laurel.
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Knowledge is the treasure of a wise man.
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Five things are requisite to a good officer — ability, clean hands, despatch, patience, and impartiality.
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It is a severe rebuke upon us, that God makes us so many allowances, and we make so few to our neighbour.
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It is profitable wisdom to know when we have done enough: Much time and pains are spared in not flattering ourselves against probabilities.