William Penn

This is the comfort of the godly: the grave cannot hold them, and they live as soon as they die. For death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity.

As Puppets are to Men, and Babies to Children, so is Man’s Workmanship to God’s: We are the Picture, he the Reality.

Less judgment than wit is more sail than ballast.

We meet on the broad pathway of good faith and good will; no advantage shall be taken on either side, but all shall be openness and love. I will not call you children, — for parents sometimes chide their children too severely; nor brothers only, — for brothers differ. The friendship between me and you I will not compare to a chain; for that the rains might rust, or the falling tree might break. We are the same as if one man’s body were to be divided into two parts, we are all one flesh and blood.

I know no religion that destroys courtesy, civility, and kindness.

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

It is not length of life, but depth of life.

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

Knowledge exists to be imparted.

Do we not wile away moments of inanity or fatigued waiting by repeating some trivial movement or sound, until the repetition has bred a want, which is incipient habit?

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

In every author let us distinguish the man from his works.

To find yourself, think for yourself.

Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others.

You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.

All mankind love a lover.

If it be an evil to judge rashly or untruly any single man, how much a greater sin it is to condemn a whole people.

Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces.

All I say is, kings is kings, and you got to make allowances. Take them all around, they’re a mighty ornery lot. It’s the way they’re raised.

When you’re first figuring yourself out, you care so much about what people think of you.

To have in general but little feeling, seems to be the only security against feeling too much on any particular occasion.