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

52 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".

32 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

57 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

57 Copy quote
What indeed is life, unless so far as it is enjoyed? It does not merit the name.

William Godwin

Names, Doe, Merit

William Godwin (1831). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions, and Discoveries: Interspersed with Some Particulars Respecting the Author”, p.355

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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

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

William Godwin

Pregnancy, Revolution, Tyranny

36 Copy quote
The wise man is satisfied with nothing.

William Godwin

Wise, Men, Satisfied

23 Copy quote
We cannot perform our tasks to the best of our power, unless we think well of our own capacity.

William Godwin

Thinking, Tasks, Capacity

William Godwin (1831). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions, and Discoveries: Interspersed with Some Particulars Respecting the Author”, p.345

9 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

4 Copy quote
Books gratify and excite our curiosity in innumerable ways.

William Godwin

Book, Curiosity, Way

William Godwin (1823). “The enquirer. Reflections on education, manners, and literature. In a series of essays”, p.29

6 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

14 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

15 Copy quote
As the true object of education is not to render the pupil the mere copy of his preceptor, it is rather to be rejoiced in, than lamented, that various reading should lead him into new trains of thinking.

William Godwin

Reading, Thinking, Pupils

William Godwin (1823). “The Enquirer”, p.130

11 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

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Self-respect to be nourished in the mind of the pupil, is one of the most valuable results of a well conducted education.

William Godwin

Self, Mind, Statistics

William Godwin (2006). “Thoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions and Discoveries: Easyread Comfort Edition”, p.53, ReadHowYouWant.com

5 Copy quote
Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.

William Godwin

Characteristics, Unequivocal, Humans

'An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Political Justice' (1793) bk. 1, ch. 2

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In a well-written book we are presented with the maturest reflections, or the happiest flights of a mind of uncommon excellence. It is impossible that we can be much accustomed to such companions without attaining some resemblance to them.

William Godwin

Book, Reflection, Mind

William Godwin (1823). “The enquirer. Reflections on education, manners, and literature. In a series of essays”, p.29

7 Copy quote
Power is not happiness.

William Godwin

Evil, Good And Evil

William Godwin (1796). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness”, p.185

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Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.... An attempt to scrutinize men's thoughts and punish their opinions is of all kinds of despotism the most odious: yet this is peculiarly character of a period of revolution.... There is no period more at war with the existence of liberty.

William Godwin

War, Character, Men

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We are so curiously made that one atom put in the wrong place in our original structure will often make us unhappy for life.

William Godwin

Philosophy, Medicine, Unhappy

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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

25 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

13 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”

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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

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

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