William Penn

If we are but sure the end is right, we are too apt to gallop over all bounds to compass it; not considering the lawful ends may be very unlawfully attained.

A Man in Business must put up many Affronts, if he loves his own Quiet.

Any government is free to the people under it (whatever be the frame) where the law rules, and the people are a party to those laws, and more than this is tyranny, oligarchy, or confusion.

Patience and diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

Private men, in fine, are so much their own, that, paying common dues, they are sovereigns of all the rest. Yet the public must and will be served; and they that do it well, deserve public marks of honour and respect. To do so, men must have public minds, as well as salaries; or they will serve private ends at the public cost. Government can never be well administered, but where those intrusted make conscience of well discharging their places.

Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.

The way to do well is to do well.

To see helpless infancy stretching out her hands, and pouring out her cries in testimony of dependence, without any powers to alarm jealousy, or any guilt to alienate affection, must surely awaken tenderness in every human mind; and tenderness once excited will be hourly increased by the natural contagion of felicity, by the repercussion of communicated pleasure, by the consciousness of dignity of benefaction.

If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.

She stepped out barefoot on to the grass, her soul naked, sun beating to her heart’s rhythm, bathing her skin. In her mind, she had already escaped.

Beauty without expression is boring.

I desire no future that will break the ties with the past.

Ask counsel of both timesof the ancient time what is best, and of the latter time what is fittest.

A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.

The power of man has grown in every sphere, except over himself.

If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.

Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union of Sense.

Would not love see returning penitence afar off, and fall on its neck and kiss it?

We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment.

I like not only to be loved, but also to be told that I am loved. I am not sure that you are of the same mind. But the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave. This is the world of light and speech, and I shall take leave to tell you that you are very dear.