William Penn

Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Moms. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own.

Seek not to be Rich, but Happy. The one lies in Bags, the other in Content: which Wealth can never give.

In all debates let truth be thy aim; not victory or an unjust interest; and endeavor to gain rather than to expose thy antagonist.

Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.

Liberty without obedience is confusion, and obedience without liberty is slavery.

The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.

Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words, or in good order.

It is the privilege of any human work which is well done to invest the doer with a certain haughtiness. He can well afford not to conciliate, whose faithful work will answer for him.

The perception of beauty is a moral test.

I think if we go back and check our record, the Negro has proven beyond a doubt that we have been more than patient in seeking our rights as American citizens.

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.

Rebellions of the belly are the worst.

As peace is the end of war, so to be idle is the ultimate purpose of the busy.

Use, do not abuse; neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy.

Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.

All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.

Very few people can afford to be poor.

Some men do as much begrudge others a good name, as they want one themselves: and perhaps that is the reason of it.

Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.

Life is too precious to be spent in this weaving and unweaving of false impressions, and it is better to live quietly under some degree of misrepresentation than to attempt to remove it by the uncertain process of letter-writing.