William Godwin
William Godwin
William Godwinwas an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous for two books that he published within the space of a year: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, an attack on political institutions, and Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, which attacks aristocratic privilege, but also is the first mystery novel. Based on the success of both,...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth3 March 1756
William Godwin quotes about
The proper method for hastening the decay of error is by teaching every man to think for himself.
There must be room for the imagination to exercise its powers; we must conceive and apprehend a thousand things which we do not actually witness.
Perseverance is an active principle, and cannot continue to operate but under the influence of desire.
The subtleties of mathematics defecate the grossness of our apprehension, and supply the elements of a sounder and severer logic.
Of Belief Human mathematics, so to speak, like the length of life, are subject to the doctrine of chances.
He that revels in a well-chosen library has inumerable dishes, and all of admirable flavor.
My mind was bursting with depression and anguish. I muttered imprecations and murmuring as I passed along. I was full of loathing and abhorrence of life, and all that life carries in its train.
But the watchful care of the parent is endless. The youth is never free from the danger of grating interference.
The execution of any thing considerable implies in the first place previous persevering meditation.
Learning is the ally, not the adversary of genius... he who reads in a proper spirit, can scarcely read too much.
Make men wise, and by that very operation you make them free. Civil liberty follows as a consequence of this; no usurped power can stand against the artillery of opinion.
We are so curiously made that one atom put in the wrong place in our original structure will often make us unhappy for life.
God himself has no right to be a tyrant.
Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.