William Penn

Nothing does Reason more Right, than the Coolness of those that offer it: for Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than from the arguments of its opposers.

If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God; and to do that, thou must be ruled by him who has given to kings his grace to command themselves and their subjects, and to the people the grace to obey God and their kings.

A wise man makes what he learns his own, the other shows he is but a copy or a collection at most.

A private Life is to be preferred; the Honor and Gain of publick Posts, bearing no proportion with the Comfort of it

Have a care, therefore, where there is more sail than ballast.

Eat therefore to live, and do not live to eat.

If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes.

Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.

Youth, which is forgiven everything, forgives itself nothing: age, which forgives itself everything, is forgiven nothing.

Better is the enemy of good.

Englishmen hate Liberty and Equality too much to understand them. But every Englishman loves a pedigree.

The hues of the opal, the light of the diamond, are not to be seen if the eye is too near.

Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker upon the planet. Then all things are at risk.

Shall I not have intelligence with the earth? Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mould myself.

Our humanity comes to its fullest bloom in giving. We become beautiful people when we give whatever we can give: a smile, a handshake, a kiss, an embrace, a word of love, a present, a part of our life…all of our life.

A man sits as many risks as he runs.

A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

Once we recognize that all things are impermanent, we have no problem enjoying them.

A man is what he thinks about all day long.

Do Good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.

A man’s true delight is to do the things he was made for.