John Selden Quotes
John Selden delivers a probing, old-school vibe on leadership and judgment, perfect for those who like deep, ethical puzzles.
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Scrutamini scripturas (Let us look at the scriptures). These two words have undone the world.
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Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were easiest for his feet.
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Humility is a virtue all preach, none practice; and yet everybody is content to hear.
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'Tis not the drinking that is to be blamed, but the excess.
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Commonly we say a judgement falls upon a man for something in him we cannot abide.
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Equity is a roguish thing. For Law we have a measure, know what to trust to; Equity is according to the conscience of him that is Chancellor, and as that is larger or narrower, so is Equity. 'T is all one as if they should make the standard for the measure we call a 'foot' a Chancellor's foot; what an uncertain measure would this be! One Chancellor has a long foot, another a short foot, a third an indifferent foot. 'T is the same thing in the Chancellor's conscience.
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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.
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No man is the wiser for his learning.
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Wit and wisdom are born with a man.
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Few men make themselves masters of the things they write or speak.
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Take a straw and throw it up into the air - you may see by that which way the wind is.
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Philosophy is nothing but discretion.
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Marriage is a desperate thing.
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Thou little thinkest what a little foolery governs the world.
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They that govern the most make the least noise.
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Syllables govern the world.
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Never king dropped out of the clouds.
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Never tell your resolution beforehand.
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Wise men say nothing in dangerous times.
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Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain.
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Preachers say, Do as I say, not as I do.
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A king is a thing men have made for their own sakes, for quietness' sake. Just as in a family one man is appointed to buy the meat.
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We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.
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Those that govern most make least noise.
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Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.
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Wise people say nothing in dangerous times.
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Pleasures are all alike simply considered in themselves: he that hunts, or he that governs the commonwealth, they both please themselves alike, only we commend that, whereby we ourselves receive some benefit.
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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.
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Talk what you will of the Jews,--that they are cursed: they thrive wherever they come; they are able to oblige the prince of their country by lending him money; none of them beg; they keep together; and as for their being hated, why, Christians hate one another as much.
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They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colors but black, then I am superstitious in not wearing black.
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The world cannot be governed without juggling.
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Preaching, in the first sense of the word, ceased as soon as ever the gospel was written.
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Tis not seasonable to call a man traitor, that has an army at his heels.
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Gentelmen heve ever been more temperate in their religion than common people, as having more reason.
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Pride may be allowed to this or that degree, else a man cannot keep up his dignity.
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While you are upon the earth, enjoy the good things that are here.
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We measure the excellency of other men by some excellency we conceive to be in ourselves.
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There was never a merry world since the fairies left off dancing.
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Of all actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern other people, yet of all actions of our life tis most meddled with by other people.
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Abundance consists not alone in material possession, but in an uncovetous spirit.