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Of Belief Human mathematics, so to speak, like the length of life, are subject to the doctrine of chances.

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
Speak
Statistics
Human
Length
Humans
Doctrine
Life
Mathematics
Like
Subject
Subjects
Belief
Chance
Chances

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A celebrated north country apostle, who, after Calvin had damned ninety-nine in a hundred of mankind, had contrived a scheme for damning ninety-nine in a hundred of the followers of Calvin.
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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.
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Duty is that mode of action on the part of the individual which constitutes the best possible application of his capacity to the general benefit.
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Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.
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The diligent scholar is he that loves himself, and desires to have reason to applaud and love himself.
William Godwin
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The proper method for hastening the decay of error is by teaching every man to think for himself.
William Godwin
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Government will not fail to employ education, to strengthen its hands and perpetuate its institutions.
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Revolutions are the produce of passion, not of sober and tranquil reason.
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The wise man is satisfied with nothing.
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Study with desire is real activity without desire it is but the semblance and mockery of activity.
William Godwin
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Obey this may be right but beware of reverence.... Government is nothing but regulated force force is its appropriate claim upon your attention. It is the business of individuals to persuade the tendency of concentrated strength, is only to give consistency and permanence to an influence more compendious than persuasion.
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It is probable that there is no one thing that it is of eminent importance for a child to learn.
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Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.
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God himself has no right to be a tyrant.
William Godwin
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As the true object of education is not to render the pupil the mere copy of his preceptor, it is rather to be rejoiced in, than lamented, that various reading should lead him into new trains of thinking.
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Learning is the ally, not the adversary of genius... he who reads in a proper spirit, can scarcely read too much.
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It is absurd to expect the inclinations and wishes of two human beings to coincide, through any long period of time. To oblige them to act and live together is to subject them to some inevitable potion of thwarting, bickering, and unhappiness.
William Godwin
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Perseverance is an active principle, and cannot continue to operate but under the influence of desire.
William Godwin
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The lessons of their early youth regulated the conduct of their riper years.
William Godwin
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There is no sphere in which a human being can be supposed to act where one mode of reasoning will not, in every given instance, be more reasonable than any other mode. That mode the being is bound by every principle of justice to pursue.
William Godwin