Quote

Philosophy is nothing but discretion.

John Selden

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

John Selden
Age: 69 †
Born: 1584
Born: December 16
Died: 1654
Died: November 30
Jurist
Politician
Writer
Discretion
Philosopher
Philosophy
Nothing

More quotes by John Selden

Image
The law against witches does not prove there be any but it punishes the malice of those people that use such means to take away men's lives.
John Selden
Image
A gallant man is above ill words.
John Selden
Image
We measure the excellency of other men by some excellency we conceive to be in ourselves.
John Selden
Image
Opinion is something wherein I go about to give reasons why all the world should think as I think.
John Selden
Image
Nothing is text but what is spoken of in the Bible and meant there for person and place the rest is application which a discreet man may do well but it is his scripture, not the Holy Ghost's. First, in your sermons use your logic, and then your rhetoric rhetoric without logic is like a tree with leaves and blossoms, but no root.
John Selden
Image
Religion is like the fashion, one man wears his doublet slashed, another lashed, another plain but every man has a doublet so every man has a religion. We differ about the trimming.
John Selden
Image
Prayer should be short, without giving God Almighty reasons why He should grant this or that He knows best wheat is good for us. If your boy should ask you for a suit of clothes and give you reasons, would you endure it? You know his needs better than he let him ask for a suit of clothes.
John Selden
Image
Men say they are of the same religion, for quietness' sake but if the matter were well examined, you would scarce find three anywhere of the same religion on all points.
John Selden
Image
All things are God's already we can give him no right, by consecrating any, that he had not before, only we set it apart to his service - just as a gardener brings his master a basket of apricots, and presents them his lord thanks him, and perhaps gives him something for his pains, and yet the apricots were as much his lord's before as now.
John Selden
Image
More solid things do not show the complexion of the times so well as Ballads and Libels.
John Selden
Image
There was never a merry world since the fairies left off dancing.
John Selden
Image
Humility is a virtue all preach, none practise, and yet every body is content to hear. The master thinks it good doctrine for his servant, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.
John Selden
Image
Scrutamini scripturas (Let us look at the scriptures). These two words have undone the world.
John Selden
Image
The House of Commons is called the Lower House, in twenty Acts of Parliament but what are twenty Acts of Parliament amongst Friends?
John Selden
Image
They that are against Superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I will wear all colours but black, then am I superstitious in not wearing black.
John Selden
Image
Of all the actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern other people, yet of all the actions of our lives, 'tis the most meddled with by other people.
John Selden
Image
Take a straw and throw it up into the air, you may see by that which way the wind is.
John Selden
Image
The happiness of married life depends upon making small sacrifices with readiness and cheerfulness.
John Selden
Image
He that hath a scrupulous conscience is like a horse that is not well weighed he starts at every bird that flies out of the hedge.
John Selden
Image
Marriage is a desperate thing.
John Selden