Quote

Virtue is not hereditary.

Thomas Paine

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Thomas Paine
Age: 72 †
Born: 1737
Born: January 29
Died: 1809
Died: June 8
Author
Entrepreneur
Journalist
Opinion Journalist
Philosopher
Politician
Prosaist
Writer
Thetford
Norfolk
Hereditary
Virtue

More quotes by Thomas Paine

Image
An avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws.
Thomas Paine
Image
I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
Thomas Paine
Image
Lay then the axe to the root, and teach governments humanity. It is their sanguinary punishments which corrupt mankind.
Thomas Paine
Image
He who takes nature for his guide, is not easily beaten out of his argument
Thomas Paine
Image
How necessary it is at all times to watch against the attempted encroachment of power, and to prevent its running to excess.
Thomas Paine
Image
To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.
Thomas Paine
Image
It has been the scheme of the Christian Church, and of all the other invented systems of religion, to hold man in ignorance of the Creator, as it is of Government to hold man in ignorance of his rights. The systems of the one are as false as those of the other, and are calculated for mutual support.
Thomas Paine
Image
Christianity is the strangest religion ever set up, for it committed a murder upon Jesus in order to redeem mankind from the sin of eating an apple.
Thomas Paine
Image
Public credit is suspicion asleep.
Thomas Paine
Image
Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself.
Thomas Paine
Image
The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.
Thomas Paine
Image
... a thirst for power is the natural disease of monarchy.
Thomas Paine
Image
It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.
Thomas Paine
Image
Every proprietor owes to the community a ground-rent for the land which he holds.
Thomas Paine
Image
The Almighty implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of His image in our heart. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals.
Thomas Paine
Image
On this question of war, three things are to be considered. First, the right of declaring it: secondly, the expense of supporting it: thirdly, the mode of conducting it after it is declared.
Thomas Paine
Image
His [Jesus'] historians, having brought him into the world in a supernatural manner, were obliged to take him out again in the same manner, or the first part of the story must have fallen to the ground.
Thomas Paine
Image
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
Thomas Paine
Image
In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings the consequence of which was there were no wars it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion.
Thomas Paine
Image
It is with a pious fraud as with a bad action it begets a calamitous necessity of going on.
Thomas Paine