William Godwin Quotes

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Atheism Books Children Desire Duty Evil Justice

Whenever government assumes to deliver us from the trouble of thinking for ourselves, the only consequences it produces are those of torpor and imbecility.

William Godwin

Thinking, Government, Assuming

William Godwin (1793). “An enquiry concerning political justice, and its influence on general virtue and happiness”, p.143

50 Copy quote
If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak.

William Godwin

Strong, Doubt, Purpose

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin”, p.337

56 Copy quote
Above all we should not forget, that government is an evil, an usurpation upon the private judgment and individual conscience of mankind.

William Godwin

Government, Evil, Judgement

"An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness".

30 Copy quote
He that loves reading has everything within his reach.

William Godwin

Inspirational, Education, Book

William Godwin (1797). “The Enquirer: Reflections on Education, Manners and Literature, in a Series of Essays”, p.31

55 Copy quote
No man must encroach upon my province, nor I upon his. He may advise me, moderately and without pertinaciousness, but he must not expect to dictate to me. He may censure me freely and without reserve; but he should remember that I am to act by my deliberation and not his. I ought to exercise my talents for the benefit of others; but that exercise must be the fruit of my own conviction; no man must attempt to press me into the service.

William Godwin

Exercise, Men, Atheism

William Godwin, Kay Codell Carter (1971). “Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings”, Clarendon Press

5 Copy quote
Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.

William Godwin

Pregnancy, Revolution, Tyranny

33 Copy quote
The wise man is satisfied with nothing.

William Godwin

Wise, Men, Satisfied

19 Copy quote
Make men wise, and by that very operation you make them free. Civil liberty follows as a consequence of this; no usurped power can stand against the artillery of opinion.

William Godwin

Wise, Wisdom, Men

William Godwin (1796). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness”, p.261

13 Copy quote
Government can have no more than two legitimate purposes - the suppression of injustice against individuals within the community, and the common defense against external invasion.

William Godwin

Government, Two, Community

William Godwin (2015). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence On Morals And Happiness”, p.466, Penguin UK

3 Copy quote
If there be such a thing as truth, it must infallibly be struck out by the collision of mind with mind.

William Godwin

Mind, Collision, Ifs

William Godwin (2000). “Caleb Williams”, p.25, Broadview Press

3 Copy quote
Man is the only creature we know, that, when the term of his natural life is ended, leaves the memory of himself behind him.

William Godwin

Memories, Men, Life Is

William Godwin (1831). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions, and Discoveries: Interspersed with Some Particulars Respecting the Author”, p.73

3 Copy quote
Duty is that mode of action on the part of the individual which constitutes the best possible application of his capacity to the general benefit.

William Godwin

Benefits, Action, Individual

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin”, p.156

3 Copy quote
Every man has a certain sphere of discretion which he has a right to expect shall not be infringed by his neighbours. This right flows from the very nature of man.

William Godwin

Men, Atheism, Flow

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin”, p.167

11 Copy quote
The great model of the affection of love in human beings is the sentiment which subsists between parents and children.

William Godwin

Children, Parent, Sentimental

William Godwin (1831). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions, and Discoveries: Interspersed with Some Particulars Respecting the Author”, p.274

23 Copy quote
The proper method for hastening the decay of error, is not, by brute force, or by regulation which is one of the classes of force, to endeavour to reduce men to intellectual uniformity; but on the contrary by teaching every man to think for himself.

William Godwin

Teaching, Men, Thinking

William Godwin, Luke White (bookseller.) (1793). “An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness”, p.375

13 Copy quote
As long as parents and teachers in general shall fall under the established rule, it is clear that politics and modes of government will educate and infect us all. They poison our minds, before we can resist, or so much as suspect their malignity. Like the barbarous directors of the Eastern seraglios, they deprive us of our vitality, and fit us for their despicable employment from the cradle.

William Godwin

Teacher, Fall, Government

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on Morals and Happiness”, p.49

15 Copy quote
God himself has no right to be a tyrant.

William Godwin

Tyrants, Religion

William Godwin (1890). “Godwin's "Political Justice.": A Reprint of the Essay on "Property," from the Original Edition”

16 Copy quote
All education is despotism. It is perhaps impossible for the young to be conducted without introducing in many cases the tyranny implicit in obedience. Go there; do that; read; write; rise; lie down - will perhaps forever be the language addressed to youth by age.

William Godwin

Lying, Writing, Forever

William Godwin (1823). “The enquirer. Reflections on education, manners, and literature. In a series of essays”, p.53

11 Copy quote
Revolutions are the produce of passion, not of sober and tranquil reason.

William Godwin

Passion, Revolution, Quiet

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness”, p.244

20 Copy quote
There must be room for the imagination to exercise its powers; we must conceive and apprehend a thousand things which we do not actually witness.

William Godwin

Workout, Exercise, Imagination

William Godwin (2006). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions and Discoveries”, p.399, ReadHowYouWant.com

6 Copy quote
By right, as the word is employed in this subject, has always been understood discretion, that is, a full and complete power of either doing a thing or omitting it, without the person's becoming liable to animadversion or censure from another, that is, in other words, without his incurring any degree of turpitude or guilt. Now in this sense I affirm that man has no rights, no discretionary power whatever.

William Godwin

Men, Rights, Guilt

William Godwin (1793). “An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness”, p.111

5 Copy quote
I shall attempt to prove two things: first, that the actions and dispositions of mankind are the offspring of circumstances and events, and not of any original determination that they bring into the world; and, secondly, that the great stream of our voluntary actions essentially depends, not upon the direct and immediate impulses of sense, but upon the decisions of the understanding.

William Godwin

Determination, Two, Decision

William Godwin (2015). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence On Morals And Happiness”, p.78, Penguin UK

3 Copy quote
The first duty of man is to take none of the principles of conduct upon trust; to do nothing without a clear and individual conviction that it is right to be done.

William Godwin

Men, Principles, Done

William Godwin (1793). “An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness”, p.597

16 Copy quote
Hereditary wealth is in reality a premium paid to idleness.

William Godwin

Reality, Wealth, Premium

William Godwin (1793). “An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness”, p.804

3 Copy quote
To conceive that compulsion and punishment are the proper means of reformation is the sentiment of a barbarian.

William Godwin

Mean, Punishment, Barbarians

William Godwin (1798). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin”, p.373

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Born: March 3, 1756
Died: April 7, 1836
Occupation: Journalist
Cite this Page: Citation

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