Wisdom Quotes

"A man of understanding will not be easily drawn into public controversy without proper cause."

"No man can serve two masters, nor can a government serve both liberty and tyranny."

"Let no one ignorantly suppose that liberty is the state of doing as one pleases."

"A truly wise man knows the limits of his own knowledge."

"We must not confuse liberty with license, nor freedom with the ability to harm others."

"A man's conscience is his truest compass in the darkness of uncertainty."

"What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that of a great nation."

"Wisdom is the parent of piety."

"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."

"Knowledge is power but power without knowledge is a dangerous thing."

"A man ought to have the courage of his convictions but also the humility to learn from others."

"I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man."

"The true principle of government is this—make the system complete in its principles and machinery of operation."

"Persuasion is often more effectual than force."

"It is impossible to make a man trustworthy by law."

"When authority is absolute, it makes errors absolute."

"The true test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time."

"The better to understand the subject, let us reason from the foundations."

"A lover of mankind calls for his aid not a supernatural power but the knowledge of human nature."

"Know thyself is as much a moral as an intellectual precept."

"The nature of the injury is to be estimated by the nature of the power that inflicts it."

"Grief drives men into habits of serious reflection, sharpens the understanding, and softens the heart."

"A wise man adapts himself to circumstances as water molds itself to the pitcher."

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

"Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship."

"All human situations have their inconveniences."

"Admiration is the daughter of ignorance."

"Hear reason or she'll make you feel her."

"Necessity never made a good bargain."

"Great good nature without prudence is a great misfortune."