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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.

— John Selden Table Talk (1689)

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More quotes by John Selden

Wise men say nothing in dangerous times.

Table Talk (1689)

Take a straw and throw it up into the air — you may see by that which way the wind is.

Table Talk (1689)

Humility is a virtue all preach, none practise, and yet every body is content to hear.

Table Talk: Being the Discourses (1786)

Few men make themselves masters of the things they write or speak.

Table Talk (1689)

Thou little thinkest what a little foolery governs the world.

Table Talk (1689)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: John Selden (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.