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If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong but he really punishes me because his argument is weak.
William Godwin
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William Godwin
Age: 80 †
Born: 1756
Born: March 3
Died: 1836
Died: April 7
Journalist
Novelist
Philosopher
Political Philosopher
Science Fiction Writer
Writer
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire
Argument
Weak
Employs
Doubt
Punishes
Purpose
Pretends
Strong
Mould
Really
Coercion
Would
Punish
Purposes
More quotes by William Godwin
My mind was bursting with depression and anguish. I muttered imprecations and murmuring as I passed along. I was full of loathing and abhorrence of life, and all that life carries in its train.
William Godwin
The real or supposed rights of man are of two kinds, active and passive the right in certain cases to do as we list and the right we possess to the forbearance or assistance of other men. The first of these a just philosophy will probably induce us universally to explode.
William Godwin
The first duty of man is to take none of the principles of conduct upon trust to do nothing without a clear and individual conviction that it is right to be done.
William Godwin
Books gratify and excite our curiosity in innumerable ways.
William Godwin
The philosophy of the wisest man that ever existed, is mainly derived from the act of introspection.
William Godwin
Study with desire is real activity without desire it is but the semblance and mockery of activity.
William Godwin
What indeed is life, unless so far as it is enjoyed? It does not merit the name.
William Godwin
Perseverance is an active principle, and cannot continue to operate but under the influence of desire.
William Godwin
Man is the only creature we know, that, when the term of his natural life is ended, leaves the memory of himself behind him.
William Godwin
Power is not happiness.
William Godwin
All education is despotism. It is perhaps impossible for the young to be conducted without introducing in many cases the tyranny implicit in obedience. Go there do that read write rise lie down - will perhaps forever be the language addressed to youth by age.
William Godwin
The virtue of a human being is the application of his capacity to the general good.
William Godwin
Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.... An attempt to scrutinize men's thoughts and punish their opinions is of all kinds of despotism the most odious: yet this is peculiarly character of a period of revolution.... There is no period more at war with the existence of liberty.
William Godwin
The lessons of their early youth regulated the conduct of their riper years.
William Godwin
Books are the depositary of everything that is most honourable to man.
William Godwin
Let us not, in the eagerness of our haste to educate, forget all the ends of education.
William Godwin
To conceive that compulsion and punishment are the proper means of reformation is the sentiment of a barbarian.
William Godwin
In a well-written book we are presented with the maturest reflections, or the happiest flights of a mind of uncommon excellence. It is impossible that we can be much accustomed to such companions without attaining some resemblance to them.
William Godwin
The subtleties of mathematics defecate the grossness of our apprehension, and supply the elements of a sounder and severer logic.
William Godwin
It is probable that there is no one thing that it is of eminent importance for a child to learn.
William Godwin