Quotes from William Penn

Force may make hypocrites, but it can never make converts.

In all debates, let truth be thy aim, not victory, or an unjust interest.

Never marry but for love; but see that thou lov'st what is lovely.

We are too apt to love praise, but not to deserve it.

Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

Inquiry is human; blind obedience brutal. Truth never loses by the one but often suffers by the other.

Truth never lost ground by enquiry.

The usefullest truths are plainest; and while we keep to them, our differences cannot rise high.

Tis the glory of a man to vail to truth; as it is the mark of a good nature to be easily entreated.

It is the difference betwixt lust and love that this is fixed, that volatile. Love grows, lust wastes by enjoyment.

Avoid popularity; it has many snares, and no real benefit.

Let us then try what Love will do: For if Men do once see we love them, we should soon find they would not harm us.

Let us try what love will do.

True silence is the rest of the mind, and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.

Only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee.

To be like Christ is to be a Christian.

All excess is ill, but drunkeness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is quarrelsome, lascivious, impudent, dangerous and bad.

A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.

There can be no friendship when there is no freedom. Friendship loves the free air, and will not be fenced up in straight and narrow enclosures.

He that does good for good's sake seeks neither praise nor reward, though sure of both at last.

If thou wouldst be happy ... have an indifference for more than what is sufficient.

I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do for any fellow being, let me do it now ... as I shall not pass this way again.

The smaller the drink, the clearer the head.