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Few men make themselves masters of the things they write or speak.

John Selden

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John Selden
Age: 69 †
Born: 1584
Born: December 16
Died: 1654
Died: November 30
Jurist
Politician
Writer
Make
Things
Men
Masters
Speak
Write
Writing

More quotes by John Selden

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Abundance consists not alone in material possession, but in an uncovetous spirit.
John Selden
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Pride may be allowed to this or that degree, else a man cannot keep up dignity. In gluttony there must be eating, in drunkenness there must be drinking 'tis not the eating, and 'tis not the drinking that must be blamed, but the excess. So in pride.
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In quoting of books, quote such authors as are usually read others you may read for your own satisfaction, but not name them.
John Selden
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No man is the wiser for his learning it may administer matter to work in, or objects to work upon but wit and wisdom are born with a man.
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The House of Commons is called the Lower House, in twenty Acts of Parliament but what are twenty Acts of Parliament amongst Friends?
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Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.
John Selden
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Opinion is something wherein I go about to give reasons why all the world should think as I think.
John Selden
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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
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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
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Ignorance of the law excuses no man not that all men know the law, but because 'tis an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to refute him.
John Selden
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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
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Philosophy is nothing but discretion.
John Selden
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We pick out a text here and there to make it serve our turn whereas , if we take it all together, and considered what went before and what followed after, we should find it meant no such thing.
John Selden
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Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes they were the easiest for his feet.
John Selden
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Commonly we say a judgment falls upon a man for something in him we cannot abide.
John Selden
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If the prisoner should ask the judge whether he would be content to be hanged, were he in his case, he would answer no. Then, says the prisoner, do as you would be done to.
John Selden
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Thou little thinkest what a little foolery governs the world.
John Selden
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Those that govern most make least noise.
John Selden
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No man is the wiser for his learning
John Selden
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Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty.
John Selden