70 quotes
Leisure is the mother of Philosophy; and Common-wealth, the mother of Peace, and Leisure: Where first were great and flourishing Cities, there was first the study of Philosophy.
Leviathan (1651)
Sudden Glory, is the passion which maketh those Grimaces called LAUGHTER.
Leviathan (1651)
And Beasts that have Deliberation, must necessarily also have Will.
Leviathan (1651)
So that every Crime is a sinne; but not every sinne a Crime.
Leviathan (1651)
"Fact be vertuous, or vicious, as Fortune pleaseth;"
Leviathan (1651)
This is the Generation of that LEVIATHAN, or rather (to speake more reverently) of that Mortall God, to which we owe under the Immortal God, our peace and defence.
Leviathan (1651)
But Aversion wee have for things, not only which we know have hurt us; but also that we do not know whether they will hurt us, or not.
Leviathan (1651)
But if it bee well considered, The praise of Ancient Authors, proceeds not from the reverence of the Dead, but from the competition and mutual envy of the Living.
Leviathan (1651)
For there is no such thing as perpetual Tranquility of mind, while we live here; because Life it selfe is but Motion, and can never be without Desire, nor without Feare, no more than without Sense.
Leviathan (1651)
It is not easy to fall into any absurdity, unless it be by the length of an account; wherein he may perhaps forget what went before. For all men by nature reason alike, and well, when they have good principles.
Leviathan (1651)
"And seeing every man is presumed to do all things in order to his own benefit, no man is a fit Arbitrator in his own cause:"
Leviathan (1651)
A naturall foole that could never learn by heart the order of numerall words, as one, two, and three, may observe every stroak of the Clock, and nod to it, or say one, one, one; but can never know what houre it strikes.
Leviathan (1651)
If this superstitious fear of Spirits were taken away, and with it, Prognostiques from Dreams, false Prophecies, and many other things depending thereon, by which, crafty ambitious persons abuse the simple people, men would be much more fitted then they are for civill Obedience.
Leviathan (1651)
For Appetite with an opinion of attaining, is called HOPE.
Leviathan (1651)
For Warre, consisteth not in Battell onely, or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the Will to contend by Battell is sufficiently known: and therefore the notion of Time, is to be considered in the nature of Warre; as it is in the nature of Weather.
Leviathan (1651)
That a man be willing, when others are so too, as farre-forth, as for Peace, and defence of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself.
Leviathan (1651)
I know not how the world will receive it, nor how it may reflect on those that shall seem to favor it. For in a way beset with those that contend, on one side for too great Liberty, and on the other side for too much Authority, 'tis hard to passe between the points of both unwounded.
Leviathan (1651)
But yet they that have no Science, are in better, and nobler condition with their naturall Prudence; than men, that by their mis-reasoning, or by trusting them that reason wrong, fall upon false and absurd generall rules.
Leviathan (1651)
But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel, when by the hand of God, every man was stricken for his rebellion, with an oblivion of his former language.
Leviathan (1651)
Science is the knowledge of Consequences, and dependence of one fact upon another: by which, out of that we can presently do, we know how to do something else when we will, or the like, another time
Leviathan (1651)