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I know not what to call this, nor will I urge that it is a secret, overruling decree, that hurries us on to be the instruments of our own destruction, even though it be before us, and that we rush upon it with our eyes open.

Daniel Defoe

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Daniel Defoe
Age: 70 †
Born: 1660
Born: September 30
Died: 1731
Died: April 24
Businessperson
Journalist
Novelist
Opinion Journalist
Poet
Prosaist
Publicist
Publisher
Writer
London
England
Daniel Foe
Eye
Instruments
Even
Destruction
Open
Overruling
Eyes
Hurries
Secret
Decree
Call
Urge
Though
Rush
Upon
Urges

More quotes by Daniel Defoe

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It is men of desperate fortunes on the one hand, or of aspiring, superior fortunes on the other, who go abroad upon adventures, to rise by enterprise, and make themselves famous in undertakings of a nature out of the common road.
Daniel Defoe
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The Dutch must be understood as they really are, the Middle Persons in Trade, the Factors and Brokers of Europe... they buy to sell again, take in to send out again, and the greatest Part of their vast Commerce consists in being supply'd from All Parts of the World, that they may supply All th World Again.
Daniel Defoe
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Wit, like the Belly, if it be not fed, Will starve the Members, and distract the Head.
Daniel Defoe
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In the course of our lives, the evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and which, when we are fallen into, is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of our deliverance, by which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we are fallen into.
Daniel Defoe
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And of all plagues with which mankind are curst, Ecclesiastic tyranny's the worst.
Daniel Defoe
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[The Devil's] laws are easy, and his gentle sway, Makes it exceeding pleasant to obey .
Daniel Defoe
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Redemption from sin is greater then redemption from affliction.
Daniel Defoe
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He that is rich is wise.
Daniel Defoe
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I hear much of people's calling out to punish the guilty, but very few are concerned to clear the innocent.
Daniel Defoe
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It happen'd one Day about Noon going towards my Boat, I was exceedingly surpriz'd with the Print of a Man's naked Foot on the Shore.
Daniel Defoe
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Wherever God erects a house of prayer the Devil always builds a chapel there And 't will be found, upon examination, the latter has the largest congregation.
Daniel Defoe
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It is never too late to be wise.
Daniel Defoe
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What are the sorrows of other men to us, and what their joy?
Daniel Defoe
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Alas the Church of England! What with Popery on one hand, and schismatics on the other, how has she been crucified between two thieves!
Daniel Defoe
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Not the man in the moon, not the groaning-board, not the speaking of friar Bacon's brazen- head, not the inspiration of mother Shipton, or the miracles of Dr. Faustus, things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believed.
Daniel Defoe
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Self-destruction is the effect of cowardice in the highest extreme.
Daniel Defoe
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She is always married too soon, who gets a bad husband, and she is never married too late, who gets a good one.
Daniel Defoe
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It put me upon reflecting how little repining there would be among mankind at any condition of life, if people would rather compare their condition with those that were worse, in order to be thankful, than be always comparing them with those which are better, to assist their murmurings and complaining.
Daniel Defoe
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It is better to have a lion at the head of an army of sheep, than a sheep at the head of an army of lions.
Daniel Defoe
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And which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that he has not given them. All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
Daniel Defoe