William Penn

You are now fixed at the mercy of no governor that comes to make his fortune great; you shall be governed by laws of your own making and live a free, and if you will, a sober and industrious life. I shall not usurp the right of any, or oppress his person. God has furnished me with a better resolution and has given me his grace to keep it.

Religion is nothing else but love of God and man.

Sense never fails to give them that have it, Words enough to make them understood. It too often happens in some conversations, as in Apothecary Shops, that those Pots that are Empty, or have Things of small Value in them, are as gaudily Dress’d as those that are full of precious Drugs. They that soar too high, often fall hard, making a low and level Dwelling preferable. The tallest Trees are most in the Power of the Winds, and Ambitious Men of the Blasts of Fortune. Buildings have need of a good Foundation, that lie so much exposed to the Weather.

To hazard much to get much has more of avarice than wisdom.

Do Good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.

She is but half a wife that is not, nor is capable of being, a friend.

Old men are dangerous: it doesn’t matter to them what is going to happen to the world.

He is rich who is content with the least; for contentment is the wealth of nature.

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.

Our own life has to be our message.

A lot of power and bravery is practice. And some of that is taking the risk to try and be at the table. And then when you’re at the table, taking that first risk to open your mouth and risk being rejected.

The longer we live the more we think and the higher the value we put on friendship and tenderness towards parents and friends.

This gives force to the strong — that the multitude have no habit of self-reliance or original action.

Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others… This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

Wit and Humor – if any difference, it is in duration – lightning and electric light. Same material, apparently; but one is vivid, and can do damage – the other fools along and enjoys elaboration.

Only an inventor knows how to borrow, and every man is or should be an inventor.

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.

The only guide to man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. It is very imprudent to walk through life without this shield, because we are so often mocked by the failure of our hopes and the upsetting of our calculations; but with this shield, however the fates may play, we march always in the ranks of honor.

Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of the man. The biography of the man himself cannot be written.

Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.

Fortune makes a fool of those she favors too much.