Quotes by Selden, John

"Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were easiest for his feet."

Selden, John on friends and friendship   

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"It's not the drinking to be blamed, but the excess."

Selden, John on alcohol and alcoholism
4 fans of this quote   

"Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another."

Selden, John on idols   

"A king is a thing men have made for their own sakes, for quietness sake. Just as in a family one man is appointed to buy the meat."

Selden, John on kings   

"The world cannot be governed without juggling."

Selden, John on leadership   

"They that govern the most make the least noise."

Selden, John on management   

"He that has not religion to govern his morality, is not a dram better than my mastiff-dog; so long as you stroke him, and please him, and do not pinch him, he will play with you as finely as may be, he is a very good moral mastiff; but if you hurt him, he will fly in your face, and tear out your throat."

Selden, John on morality   

"Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain."

Selden, John on pain
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"Philosophy is nothing but discretion."

Selden, John on philosophers and philosophy   

"Pleasures are all alike simply considered in themselves: he that hunts, or he that governs the commonwealth, they both please themselves alike, only we commend that, whereby we ourselves receive some benefit."

Selden, John on pleasure   

"Prayer should be short, without giving God Almighty reasons why he should grant this, or that; he knows best what is good for us."

Selden, John on prayer   

"To preach long, loud, and Damnation, is the way to be cried up. We love a man that damns us, and we run after him again to save us."

Selden, John on preachers and preaching   

"In quoting of books, quote such authors as are usually read; others you may read for your own satisfaction, but not name them."

Selden, John on quotations   

"They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colors but black, then I am superstitious in not wearing black."

Selden, John on superstition   

"'Tis not seasonable to call a man traitor, that has an army at his heels."

Selden, John on tact and tactfulness   

"Of all actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern other people, yet of all actions of our life 'Tis most meddled with by other people."

Selden, John on weddings   

"A glorious Church is like a magnificent feast; there is all the variety that may be, but every one chooses out a dish or two that he likes, and lets the rest alone: how glorious soever the Church is, every one chooses out of it his own religion, by which he governs himself, and lets the rest alone."

Selden, John on churches   

"Wise people say nothing in dangerous times."

Selden, John on anger