Maxims Quotes - Page 7

• To live with our enemies as if they may some time become our friends, and to live with our friends as if they may some time become our enemies, is not a moral but a political maxim

  Thomas Paine

  Political, Enemy, May

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• We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows and, but which all the world does not practice

  Jean de la Bruyere

  Practice, Doe, World

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• Men are very apt to run into extremes, hatred to England may carry come into an excess of Confidence in France... I am heartily disposed to entertain the most favourable sentiments of our new ally and to cherish them in others to a reasonable degree; but it is a maxim founded on the universal experience of mankind, that no nation is to be trusted farther than it is bound by its interest; and no prudent statesman or politician will venture to depart from it.

  George Washington

  Running, Men, History

  George Washington, David Maydole Matteson (1936). “The Writings of George Washington: From the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”

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• These are the rules of big business. They have superseded the teachings of our parents and are reducible to a simple maxim: Get a monopoly; let Society work for you; and remember that the best of all business is politics, for a legislative grant, franchise, subsidy or tax exemption is worth more than a Kim-berly or Comstock lode, since it does not require any labor, either mental or physical, for its exploitation.

  Frederic C. Howe

  Teaching, Simple, Parent

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• The simple rely on a bolstering mass of maxim and precept, so do the timid, so do the mentally lazy – and so do all of us, more than we imagine.

  John Wyndham

  Simple, Lazy, Imagine

  John Wyndham (2003). “The Day of the Triffids”

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• The maxim is, that whatever can be affirmed (or denied) of a class, may be affirmed (or denied) of everything included in the class. This axiom, supposed to be the basis of the syllogistic theory, is termed by logicians the dictum de omni et nullo.

  John Stuart Mill

  Science, Class, Nomenclature

  John Stuart Mill (1858). “A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive: Being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation”, p.117

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• I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy.

  George Washington

  Honesty, Constitution, Affair

  George Washington (1810). “Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States”, p.16

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• Search out the wisdom of nature, there is depth in all her doings; she seemeth prodigal of power, yet her rules are the maxims of frugality.

  Martin Farquhar Tupper

  Nature, Depth, Frugality

  Martin Farquhar Tupper (1860). “Tupper's Complete Poetical Works: Containing "Proverbial Philosophy," "A Thousand Lines," "Hactenus," "Geraldine," and "Miscellaneous Poems"”, p.18

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• A maxim in law has more weight in the world than an article of faith.

  Jonathan Swift

  Faith, Law, World

  Jonathan Swift (1761). “The Works of Dr Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick's, Dublin. Accurately Corrected by the Best Editions. With the Author's Life and Character; Notes Historical, Critical, and Explanatory; Tables of Contents, and Indexes. More Complete Than Any Preceding Edition. In Eight Volumes”, p.267

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• The true historian, therefore, seeking to compose a true picture of the thing acted, must collect facts and combine facts. Methods will differ, styles will differ. Nobody ever does anything like anybody else; but the end in view is generally the same, and the historian's end is truthful narration. Maxims he will have, if he is wise, never a one; and as for a moral, if he tell his story well, it will need none; if he tell it ill, it will deserve none.

  Augustine Birrell

  Wise, Views, Style

  Augustine Birrell (1923). “The collected essays & addresses of the Rt. Hon. Augustine Birrell, 1880-1920”

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• It was the maxim, I think, of Alphonsus of Aragon, that dead counsellors are safest. The grave puts an end to flattery and artifice, and the information we receive from books is pure from interest, fear, and ambition. Dead counsellors are likewise most instructive, because they are heard with patience and with reverence.

  Samuel Johnson

  Book, Ambition, Thinking

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy, Francis Pearson Walesby (1825). “The Rambler”, p.410

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• My third maxim was to try always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and to change my desires rather than the order of the world, and generally to accustom myself to believing that there is nothing entirely in our power except our thoughts, so that after we have done our best regarding things external to us, everything in which we do not succeed is for us absolutely impossible.

  Rene Descartes

  Change, Believe, Power

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• It is from our enemies that we often gain excellent maxims, and are frequently surprised into reason by their mistakes.

  Thomas Paine

  Mistake, Enemy, Gains

  Thomas Paine (2015). “The Thomas Paine Collection: Common Sense, Rights of Man, Age of Reason, An Essay on Dream, Biblical Blasphemy, Examination Of The Prophecies”, p.32, Ravenio Books

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• A maxim is a conclusion upon observation of matters of fact, and is merely speculative; a "principle" carries knowledge within itself, and is prospective.

  Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  Principles, Matter, Facts

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• All the good maxims which are in the world fail when applied to one's self.

  Blaise Pascal

  Self, World, Failing

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• Nothing, except the weather report or a general maxim of conduct, is so unsafe to rely upon as a theory of fiction.

  Ellen Glasgow

  Weather, Rely Upon, Fiction

  Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow (1938). “Works”

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• The highest ideal man can form of his own powers, is that which he is destined to attain. Whatever the soul knows how to seek, it cannot fail to obtain. This is the law and the prophets. Knock and it shall be opened, seek and ye shall find. It is demonstrated; it is a maxim.

  Margaret Fuller

  Men, Law, Effort

  Margaret Fuller, Bell Gale Chevigny (1976). “The Woman and the Myth: Margaret Fuller's Life and Writings”, p.242, UPNE

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• Maxims are to the intellect what laws are to actions; they do not enlighten, but they guide and direct, and, although themselves blind, are protective.

  Joseph Joubert

  Law, Action, Enlightening

  Joseph Joubert (1896). “Pensées of Joubert”

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• The maxims for success laid out by the powerful are never much good as guides for those who aren't powerful.

  Elizabeth Janeway

  Powerful, Guides, Powerlessness

  Elizabeth Janeway (1981). “Powers of the weak”, William Morrow & Co

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• to tempt and be tempted are closely allied; and in spite of all the finest moral maxims buried in the mind, when emotion interferes, when feeling makes its appearance, one is already much further involved that one realizes, and I have still not learnt how to prevent its appearance.

  Catherine the Great

  Feelings, Temptation, Mind

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• It is on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular.

  David Hume

  Military, Government, Opinion

  David Hume, Knud Haakonssen (1994). “Hume: Political Essays”, p.30, Cambridge University Press

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• That the corruption of the best thing produces the worst, is grown into a maxim, and is commonly proved, among other instances, by the pernicious effects of superstition and enthusiasm, the corruptions of true religion.

  David Hume

  Enthusiasm, Superstitions, Corruption

  David Hume, Knud Haakonssen (1994). “Hume: Political Essays”, p.46, Cambridge University Press

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• The maxim that the "best is the cheapest" does not apply to food.

  Wilbur Olin Atwater

  Inspirational, Doe

  Wilbur Olin Atwater (1894). “Foods: nutritive value and cost”, p.20

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• Children have almost an intuitive discernment between the maxims you bring forward for their use, and those by which you direct your own conduct.

  Anna Letitia Barbauld

  Children, Example, Use

  Anna Letitia Barbauld, Lucy Aikin (1825). “The works of Anna Laetitia Barbauld: in two volumes”, p.312

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• Whatever is not nailed down is mine." This is the motto of the exploiter. "Whatever can be pried loose is not nailed down." This is the second maxim in a country where people are rich, caring little in their present prosperity what shall become of the future.

  David Starr Jordan

  Country, Caring, People

  David Starr Jordan (1910). “The Call of the Nation: A Plea for Taking Politics Out of Politics”

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