John Locke Quotes - Page 12

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This is to think, that men are so foolish, that they take care to avoid what mischiefs may be done them by pole-cats, or foxes; but are content, nay, think it safety, to be devoured by lions.

John Locke

Cat, Men, Thinking

John Locke (1821). “Two treatises of government”, p.267

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There is not so contemptible a plant or animal that does not confound the most enlarged understanding.

John Locke

Nature, Animal, Understanding

John Locke (1825). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: An analysis of Mr. Locke's Doctrine of ideas .... A defense of Mr. Locke's Opinion concerning personal identity .... A treatise on the conduct of the understanding. Some thoughts concerning reading and study for a gentleman. Elements of natural philosophy. A new method of a common place book. Extracted from the author's works. With a life of the author”, p.310

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The senses at first let in particular Ideas, and furnish the yet empty Cabinet: And the Mind by degrees growing familiar with some of them, they are lodged in the Memory, and Names got to them.

John Locke

Memories, Science, Names

John Locke, John W. Yolton (1977). “The Locke Reader: Selections from the Works of John Locke with a General Introduction and Commentary”, p.126, CUP Archive

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Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it: but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within.

John Locke

Thinking, Men, Judging

John Locke (1840*). “The Conduct of the Understanding; By John Locke ... Essays, Moral, Economical, and Political; by Francis Bacon”, p.130

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For those who either perceive but dully, or retain the ideas that come into their minds but ill, who cannot readily excite or compound them, will have little matter to think on.

John Locke

Thinking, Ideas, Mind

John Locke (1854). “Locke's essays. An essay concerning human understanding. And A treatise on the conduct of the understanding. With the author's last additions”, p.108

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Neither the inveterateness of the mischief, nor the prevalency of the fashion, shall be any excuse for those who will not take care about the meaning of their own words, and will not suffer the insignificancy of their expressions to be inquired into.

John Locke

Fashion, Expression, Suffering

John Locke (1836). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, p.10

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It is reported of that prodigy of parts, Monsieur Pascal, that till the decay of his health had impaired his memory, he forgot nothing of what he had done, read, or thought, in any part of his rational age. This is a privilege so little known to most men, that it seems almost incredible to those who, after the ordinary way, measure all others by themselves; but yet, when considered, may help us to enlarge our thoughts towards greater perfections of it, in superior ranks of spirits.

John Locke

Memories, Men, Perfection

John Locke (1854). “The Philosophical Works of John Locke”, p.268

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How much education may reconcile young people to pain and sufference, the examples of Sparta do sufficiently shew; and they who have once brought themselves not to think bodily pain the greatest of evils, or that which they ought to stand most in fear of, have made no small advance toward virtue.

John Locke

Pain, Thinking, Evil

John Locke (1727). “The works of John Locke ...”, p.52

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Beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern: for divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbours but the portraiture.

John Locke

Portraiture, Divinity, Patterns

John Locke (1813). “The Conduct of the Understanding: With Sketches of the Lives of Locke and Bacon”, p.134

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You shall find, that there cannot be a greater spur to the attaining what you would have the eldest learn, and know himself, than to set him upon teaching it his younger brothers and sisters.

John Locke

Brother, Teaching, Spurs

John Locke (1727). “The works of John Locke ...”, p.55

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The inclination to goodness is imprinted deeply in the nature of man; insomuch, that if it issue not towards men, it will take unto other living creatures; as it is seen in the Turks, cruel people, who, nevertheless, are kind to beasts, and give alms to dogs and birds.

John Locke

Dog, Men, Issues

John Locke (1813). “The Conduct of the Understanding: With Sketches of the Lives of Locke and Bacon”, p.133

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Defects and weakness in men's understandings, as well as other faculties, come from want of a right use of their own minds; I am apt to think, the fault is generally mislaid upon nature, and there is often a complaint of want of parts, when the fault lies in want of a due improvement of them.

John Locke

Lying, Men, Thinking

John Locke (2007). “Some Thoughts Concerning Education: (Including Of the Conduct of the Understanding)”, p.192, Courier Corporation

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Merit and good works is the end of man's motion; and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of man's rest; for if a man can be partaker of God's theatre, he shall likewise be partaker of God's rest.

John Locke

Men, Theatre, Merit

John Locke (1825). “The Conduct of the Understanding. By J. Locke ... Essays ... By Lord Bacon. With Sketches of the Lives of Locke and Bacon”, p.140

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The first step to get this noble and manly steadiness, is... carefully keep children from frights of all kinds, when they are young. ...Instances of such who in a weak timorous mind, have borne, all their whole lives through, the effects of a fright when they were young, are every where to be seen, and therefore as much as may be to be prevented.

John Locke

Children, Mind, Noble

John Locke (1727). “The works of John Locke ...”, p.51

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The next thing is by gentle degrees to accustom children to those things they are too much afraid of. But here great caution is to be used, that you do not make too much haste, nor attempt this cure too early, for fear lest you increase the mischief instead of remedying it.

John Locke

Children, Haste, Degrees

John Locke (1727). “The works of John Locke ...”, p.51

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He that in the ordinary affairs of life would admit of nothing but direct plain demonstration would be sure of nothing in this world but of perishing quickly.

John Locke

Wisdom, Intelligence, Ordinary

John Locke (1828). “An essay concerning human understanding ... The twentieth edition, etc”, p.461

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From whence it is obvious to conclude that, since our Faculties are not fitted to penetrate into the internal Fabrick and real Essences of Bodies; but yet plainly discover to us the Being of a GOD, and the Knowledge of our selves, enough to lead us into a full and clear discovery of our Duty, and great Concernment, it will become us, as rational Creatures, to imploy those Faculties we have about what they are most adapted to, and follow the direction of Nature, where it seems to point us out the way.

John Locke

God, Real, Knowledge

John Locke (1721). “An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (Complete)”, p.714, Library of Alexandria

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He would be laughed at, that should go about to make a fine dancer out of a country hedger, at past fifty. And he will not have much better success, who shall endeavour, at that age, to make a man reason well, or speak handsomely, who has never been used to it, though you should lay before him a collection of all the best precepts of logic or oratory.

John Locke

Country, Men, Past

John Locke (1828). “An essay concerning human understanding ... The twentieth edition, etc”, p.537

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A king is a mortal god on earth, unto whom the living God hath lent his own name as a great honour; but withal told him, he should die like a man, lest he should be proud, and flatter himself that God hath with his name imparted unto him his nature also.

John Locke

Kings, Men, Names

John Locke, Francis Bacon (1825). “The Conduct of the Understanding: Essays, Moral, Economical, and Political”, p.135

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That which parents should take care of... is to distinguish between the wants of fancy, and those of nature.

John Locke

Parent, Fancy, Care

John Locke (1824). “The Works of John Locke: Some thoughts concerning education. An examination of P. Malebranche's opinion of seeing all things in God. A discourse of miracles. Memoirs relating to the life of Anthony, first earl of Shaftesbury. Some familiar letters between Mr. Locke and several of his friends”, p.95

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For it will be very difficult to persuade men of sense that he who with dry eyes and satisfaction of mind can deliver his brother to the executioner to be burnt alive, does sincerely and heartily concern himself to save that brother from the flames of hell in the world to come.

John Locke

Brother, Eye, Men

John Locke (1796). “A Letter Concerning Toleration”, p.27

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Born: August 29, 1632
Died: October 28, 1704
Occupation: Philosopher
Cite this Page: Citation

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