William Godwin Quotes

William Godwin shares thoughtful, reflective ideas about thinking, education and society.

21 quotes

1. 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.

2. The poet:who is the legislator of generations and the moral instructor of the world.

3. Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.

4. If there be such a thing as truth, it must infallibly be struck out by the collision of mind with mind.

5. The illustrious archbishop of Cambray was of more worth than his chambermaid, and there are few of us that would hesitate to pronounce, if his palace were in flames, and the life of only one of them could be preserved, which of the two ought to be preferred:Supposing the chambermaid had been my wife, my mother or my benefactor. This would not alter the truth of the proposition. The life of Fenelon would still be more valuable than that of the chambermaid; and justice, pure, unadulterated justice, would still have preferred that which was most valuable. Justice would have taught me to save the life of Fenelon at the expence of the other. What magic is there in the pronoun 'my', to overturn the decisions of everlasting truth?

6. Whenever government assumes to deliver us from the trouble of thinking for ourselves, the only consequences it produces are those of torpor and imbecility.

7. The proper method for hastening the decay of error, is not, by brute force, or by regulation which is one of the classes of force, to endeavour to reduce men to intellectual uniformity; but on the contrary by teaching every man to think for himself.

8. I know nothing worth the living for but usefulness and the service of my fellow-creatures. The only object I pursue is to increase, as far as lies in my power, the quantity of their knowledge and goodness and happiness.

9. He that loves reading has everything within his reach.

10. There must be room for the imagination to exercise its powers; we must conceive and apprehend a thousand things which we do not actually witness.

11. In infamy, it is wisely provided that he who stands highest in the ranks of society has the heaviest load to sustain.

12. No man knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who has lost them.

13. Study with desire is real activity; without desire it is but the semblance and mockery of activity.

14. Tenderness is the name for a lover's most exquisite sensation; protection is implied in his most generous and heart-thrilling impulse.

15. During my academical life, and from this time forward, I was indefatigable in my search after truth. I read all the authors of greatest repute, for and against the Trinity, original sin, and the most disputed doctrines, but I was not yet of an understanding sufficiently ripe for impartial decision, and all my inquiries terminated in Calvinism.

16. Was ever a great discovery prosecuted or an important benefit conferred upon the human race by him who was incapable of standing and thinking and feeling alone?

17. 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.

18. Soundness of understanding is connected with freedom of enquiry; consequently, opinion should, as far as public security will admit, be exempted from restraint.

19. Power is not happiness. Security and peace are more to be desired than a man at which nations tremble.

20. The most desirable state of mankind is that which maintains general security with the smallest encroachment upon individual independence.

21. There is an indescribable something that ties us to life. For this purpose, it is not necessary that we should be happy. Though our life be almost without enjoyment, we do not consent to part with it.