Noah Webster Quotes - Page 3

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The liberty of the press, trial by jury, the Habeas Corpus Writ, even Magna Carta itself, although justly deemed the paladia of freedom, are all inferior considerations, when compared with the general distribution of real property among every class of people.

Noah Webster

Wisdom, Real, Class

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In the formation of our constitution the wisdom of all ages is collected-the legislators of antiquity are consulted, as well as the opinions and interests of the millions who are concerned. It short, it is an empire of reason.

Noah Webster

Age, Empires, Opinion

Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.6

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Knowledge, learning, talents are not necessarily connected with sound moral and political principles.... And eminent abilities, accompanied with depravity of heart, render the possessor tenfold more dangerous in a community.

Noah Webster

Heart, Knowledge Learning, Community

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Dancing is an excellent amusement for young people, especially for those of sedentary occupations. Its excellence consists in exciting a cheerfulness of the mind, highly essential to health; in bracing the muscles of the body, and in producing copious perspiration.....The body must perspire, or must be out of order.

Noah Webster

Order, People, Dancing

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Compassion is a mixed passion, composed of love and sorrow.

Noah Webster

Passion, Compassion, Sorrow

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Why not include a provision that everybody shall, in good weather, hunt on his own land and catch fish in rivers that are public property and that Congress shall never restrain any inhabitant of America from eating and drinking, at seasonable times, or prevent his lying on his left side, in a long winter's night, or even on his back, when he is fatigued by lying on his right.

Noah Webster

Lying, Drinking, Winter

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The laws are the sole guardians of right, and when the magistrate dares not act, every person is insecure.

Noah Webster

Insecure, Law, Guardian

Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.16

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There are two powers only which are sufficient to control men, and secure the rights of individuals and a peaceable administration; these are the combined force of religion and law, and the force or fear of the bayonet.

Noah Webster

Men, Rights, Law

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The Bible was America's basic textbook in all fields.

Noah Webster

America, Textbooks, Fields

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The American states have gone far in assisting the progress of truth; but they have stopped short of perfection. They ought to have given every honest citizen an equal right to enjoy his religion and an equal title to all civil emoluments, without obliging him to tell his religion. Every interference of the civil power in regulating opinion, is an impious attempt to take the business of the Deity out of his own hands; and every preference given to any religious denomination, is so far slavery and bigotry.

Noah Webster

Religious, Father, Hands

Noah Webster (1785). “Sketches of American Policy Under the Following Heads: I. Theory of Government, II. Governments on the Eastern Continent, III. American States, Or, the Principles of the American Constitutions Contrasted with Those of European States, IV. Plan of Policy for Improving the Advantages and Perpetuating the Union of the American States”, p.27, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

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A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.

Noah Webster

Military, Law, People

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There iz no alternativ. Every possible reezon that could ever be offered for altering the spelling of wurds, stil exists in full force; and if a gradual reform should not be made in our language, it wil proov that we are less under the influence of reezon than our ancestors.

Noah Webster

Reform, Language, Influence

Noah Webster (1977). “A collection of essays and fugitiv writings 1790”, Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint

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It is alleged by men of loose principles, or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men who rule in the fear of God, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness. But if we had no divine instruction on the subject, our own interest would demand of us a strict observance of the principle of these injunctions. . . .

Noah Webster

Hate, Men, Views

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Nothing has a greater tendency to lessen the reverence which mankind ought to have for the Supreme Being, than a careless repetition of his name upon every trifling occasion . . . . To prevent this profanation, such passages are selected from scripture, as contain some important precepts of morality and religion, in which that sacred name is seldom mentioned. Let sacred things be appropriated to sacred purposes.

Noah Webster

Names, Religion, Important

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As a general rule, it may be affirmed that the man who never intrigues for office may be most safely entrusted with office...Such a man cannot desire promotion unless he received it from the respectable part of the community, for he considers no other promotion to be honorable.

Noah Webster

Men, Office, Community

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Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of her honor.

Noah Webster

Honor, Excellence, Female

Noah Webster (1832). “A Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibi ... : in Two Volumes”, p.140

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The minds of youth are perpetually led to the history of Greece and Rime or to Great Britain; Boys are constantly repeating the declamations of Demosthenes and Cicero, or debates upon some political question in the British Parliament.

Noah Webster

Education, Boys, Political

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Language, as well as the faculty of speech, was the immediate gift of God.

Noah Webster

Speech, Language, Faculty

Noah Webster, Chauncey Allen Goodrich, Noah Porter (Jr.) (1854). “A Dictionary of the English Language: Containing the Whole Vocabulary of the First Edition in Two Volumes Quarto, the Entire Corrections and Improvements of the Second Edition in Two Volumes Royal Octavo, to which is Prefixed an Introductory Dissertation on the Origin, History, and Connexion, of the Languages of Western Asia and Europe, with an Explanation of the Principles on which Languages are Formed”, p.23

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Relief of distress or compassion shown to victims of misfortune.
A blessing that is an act of Divine compassion.

Noah Webster

Blessing, Compassion, Relief

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In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles of it, to compare them with the principles of other governments, with a constant eye to our particular situation and circumstances, and thus endeavor to foresee the future operations of our own system, and its effects upon human happiness. Convinced of this truth, I have no apology to offer for the following remarks, but an earnest desire to be useful to my country.

Noah Webster

Country, Eye, Apology

Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.6

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Ability is active power, or power to perform.

Noah Webster

Ability, Active

Noah Webster (1839). “A Manual of Useful Studies: For the Instruction of Young Persons of Both Sexes, in Families and Schools”, p.166

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But the origin of the American Republic is distinguished by peculiar circumstances. Other nations have been driven together by fear and necessity-the governments have generally been the result of a single man's observations; or the offspring of particular interests. In the formation of our constitution, the wisdom of all ages is collected-the legislators of antiquity are consulted-as well as the opinions and interests of the millions who are concerned. In short, it is an empire of reason.

Noah Webster

Men, Age, Together

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Where will you find any code of laws among civilized men in which the commands and prohibitions are not founded on Christian principles? I need not specify the prohibition of murder, robbery, theft, trespass.

Noah Webster

Christian, Men, Law

Noah Webster (1843). “A Collection of Papers on Political, Literary, and Moral Subjects”, p.292

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The ecclesiastical establishments of Europe which serve to support tyrannical governments are not the Christian religion but abuses and corruptions of it.

Noah Webster

Christian, Government, Europe

Noah Webster (1835). “Instructive and Entertaining Lessons for Youth: With Rules for Reading with Propriety, Illustrated by Examples: Designed for Use in Schools and Families”, p.232

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It is the sincere desire of the writer that our citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican principles is the bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion.

Noah Webster

Christian, Desire, Principles

Noah Webster (1832). “History of the United States: To which is Prefixed a Brief Historical Account of Our [English] Ancestors, from the Dispersion at Babel, to Their Migration to America, and of the Conquest of South America, by the Spaniards”, p.6

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Born: October 16, 1758
Died: May 28, 1843
Occupation: Lexicographer
Cite this Page: Citation

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