We are born with faculties and powers capable almost of anything, such at least as would carry us farther than can easily be imagined: but it is only the exercise of those powers, which gives us ability and skill in any thing, and leads us towards perfection.
JOHN LOCKETill a man can judge whether they be truths or not, his understanding is but little improved, and thus men of much reading, though greatly learned, but may be little knowing.
More John Locke Quotes
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Man is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out of the common road.
JOHN LOCKE -
Affectation is an awkward and forced imitation of what should be genuine and easy, wanting the beauty that accompanies what is natural.
JOHN LOCKE -
Children generally hate to be idle; all the care then is that their busy humour should be constantly employed in something of use to them
JOHN LOCKE -
When the sacredness of property is talked of, it should be remembered that any such sacredness does not belong in the same degree to landed property.
JOHN LOCKE -
A man may live long, and die at last in ignorance of many truths, which his mind was capable of knowing, and that with certainty.
JOHN LOCKE -
Children have as much mind to show that they are free, that their own good actions come from themselves, that they are absolute and independent, as any of the proudest of you grown men, think of them as you please.
JOHN LOCKE -
The Church which taught men not to keep faith with heretics, had no claim to toleration.
JOHN LOCKE -
Who hath a prospect of the different state of perfect happiness or misery that attends all men after this life, depending on their behavior, the measures of good and evil that govern his choice are mightily changed.
JOHN LOCKE -
There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men.
JOHN LOCKE -
There is no such way to gain admittance, or give defence to strange and absurd Doctrines, as to guard them round about with Legions of obscure, doubtful, and undefin’d Words.
JOHN LOCKE -
Let not men think there is no truth, but in the sciences that they study, or the books that they read.
JOHN LOCKE -
So that, in effect, religion, which should most distinguish us from beasts, and ought most peculiarly to elevate us, as rational creatures, above brutes, is that wherein men often appear most irrational, and more senseless than beasts themselves.
JOHN LOCKE -
Whenever legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.
JOHN LOCKE -
An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; A villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards.
JOHN LOCKE -
You shall find, that there cannot be a greater spur to the attaining what you would have the eldest learn, and know himself, than to set him upon teaching it his younger brothers and sisters.
JOHN LOCKE