black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

These are the times that try men’s souls.

Thomas Paine

I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
THOMAS PAINE

Change Man Myself Opinion Present Right Slave Support
Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Fight Greatness Oneself Philosophy
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Reason Time Wrong
The slavery of fear had made men afraid to think.
THOMAS PAINE

Afraid Fear Man One Liner Slave Thinking
It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.
THOMAS PAINE

Arrogance Beginning Career Hypocrisy Politics
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
THOMAS PAINE

Glory Hard Hard Time Inspirational Motivational Struggle Success
Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
THOMAS PAINE

Action Man Right
In Deism our reason and our belief become happily united. The wonderful structure of the universe, and everything we behold in the system of the creation, prove to us, far better than books can do, the existence of a God, and at the same time proclaim His attributes.
THOMAS PAINE

Belief Creation Existence Happiness Himself Reason Time Unity Universe Wonderful
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
THOMAS PAINE

Blessing Expectation Freedom Man Support
Reason and Ignorance, the opposites of each other, influence the great bulk of mankind. If either of these can be rendered sufficiently extensive in a country, the machinery of Government goes easily on. Reason obeys itself; and Ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
THOMAS PAINE

Easy Government Greatness Ignorance Influence Kind Man Reason
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Establishment Himself Liberty Oppression Reach Security Violate
Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.
THOMAS PAINE

Carry Deep Tax War
We have it in our power to begin the world over again.
THOMAS PAINE

Beginning Inspirational Motivational Ourselves Power
It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.
THOMAS PAINE

Expectation Justice Madness Mercy Murder Trick Violence War Wolf
The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Ignorance Kind Man Trade
A Constitution is not the act of a Government, but of a people constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is a power without right.
THOMAS PAINE

Act Constitution Government People Power Right

These are the times that try men’s souls.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

These are the times that try men’s souls.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Thomas Paine Quotes