William Penn

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

She is but half a wife that is not, nor is capable of being, a friend.

Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.

Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.

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.

Let the people think they govern and they will be governed.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.

There’s much more stupidity than there is malice in the world.

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

We run to win, not just to be in the race.

I’m proof against that word failure. I’ve seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.

Age is no better, hardly so well, qualified for an instructor as youth, for it has not profited so much as it has lost.

Our knowledge is the amassed thought and experience of innumerable minds.

The man of genius inspires us with a boundless confidence in our own powers.

The really efficient laborer will be found not to crowd his day with work, but will saunter to his task surrounded by a wide halo of ease and leisure.

No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring.

Better is the enemy of good.

I never could tell a lie that anybody would doubt, nor a truth that anybody would believe.

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

We women are always in danger of living too exclusively in the affections; and though our affections are perhaps the best gifts we have, we ought also to have our share of the more independent life — some joy in things for their own sake. It is piteous to see the helplessness of some sweet women when their affections are disappointed — because all their teaching has been, that they can only delight in study of any kind for the sake of a personal love. They have never contemplated an independent delight in ideas as an experience which they could confess without being laughed at. Yet surely women need this defense against passionate affliction even more than men.

Be confident, not certain