Words of Wisdom: Thomas Paine (Part 3)
Thomas Paine was an author, inventor, and founding father of the United States. He is best known for his work, "Common Sense". Here are some of his thoughts:
- 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death
- Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it
- These are the times that try men's souls
- Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one
- When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary
- The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection
- All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit
- We have it in our power to begin the world over again
- An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot
- The greatest remedy for anger is delay
- He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death
- The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
- It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration
- The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security
- A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice
- The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason
- He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself
- Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it
- War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes
- The abilities of man must fall short on one side or the other, like too scanty a blanket when you are abed. If you pull it upon your shoulders, your feet are left bare; if you thrust it down to your feet, your shoulders are uncovered
- We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities
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Related posts:
Words of Wisdom: Thomas Paine (Part 2)
Words of Wisdom: Thomas Paine (Part 1)
Words of Wisdom: A Ben Franklin Recap
Words of Wisdom: Thomas Jefferson Recap
The Bill of Rights (Our Rights . . . Lest We Forget)
Tomorrow is Independence Day-- Have You Ever Read the Declaration of Independence?
Posted by DDFD at 10/15/2009 6:20 AM 
Categories: Self Improvement, Words of Wisdom
Tags: Self Improvement Quotes Thomas Paine Quotes
Categories: Self Improvement, Words of Wisdom
Tags: Self Improvement Quotes Thomas Paine Quotes
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