Algernon Sidney Quotes

• Fruits are always of the same nature with the seeds and roots from which they come, and trees are known by the fruits they bear: as a man begets a man, and a beast a beast, that society of men which constitutes a government upon the foundation of justice, virtue, and the common good, will always have men to promote those ends; and that which intends the advancement of one man's desire and vanity, will abound in those that will foment them.

  Algernon Sidney

  Men, Vanity, Roots

  Algernon Sidney (1794). “Life, Memoirs,&c. of Algernon Sydney”, p.112

  45 Copy quote

• Who will wear a shoe that hurts him, because the shoe-maker tells him 'tis well made?

  Algernon Sidney

  Hurt, Shoes, Makers

  Algernon Sidney (1698). “Discourses Concerning Government, by Algernon Sidney ... Published from an Original Manuscript of the Author”, p.9

  17 Copy quote

• [L]iberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted . . .

  Algernon Sidney

  People, Liberty, Virtue

  Algernon Sidney (1750). “Discourses Concerning Government”, p.363

  17 Copy quote

• That which is not just, is not Law; and that which is not Law, ought not to be obeyed.

  Algernon Sidney

  Law, Justice, Ought

  Algernon Sidney (1751). “Discourses Concerning Gouernment. By Algernon Sidney, Esq; to which are Added, Memories of His Life, and an Apology for Himself ..”, p.56

  12 Copy quote

• If his Majesty is resolved to have my head, he may make a whistle of my arse if he pleases.

  Algernon Sidney

  Arses, May, Majesty

  "Joe Miller's jests: or, The wits vade-mecum". Book compiled by J. Mottley, p. 6, 1739.

  14 Copy quote

• Machiavel, discoursing on these matters, finds virtue to be so essentially necessary to the establishment and preservation of liberty, that he thinks it impossible for a corrupted people to set up a good government, or for a tyranny to be introduced if they be virtuous; and makes this conclusion, 'That where the matter (that is, the body of the people) is not corrupted, tumults and disorders do not hurt; and where it is corrupted, good laws do no good:' which being confirmed by reason and experience, I think no wise man has ever contradicted him.

  Algernon Sidney

  Wise, Hurt, Men

  Algernon Sidney (1805). “Discourses on Government”, p.83

  16 Copy quote

• I will believe in the right of one man to govern a nation despotically when I find a man born unto the world with boots and spurs, and a nation with saddles on their backs.

  Algernon Sidney

  Believe, Men, Spurs

  13 Copy quote

• If the public safety be provided, liberty and propriety secured, justice administered, virtue encouraged, vice suppressed, and the true interest of the nation advanced, the ends of government are accomplished . . .

  Algernon Sidney

  Government, Safety, Justice

  Algernon Sidney (1794). “Life and Writings”, p.386

  15 Copy quote

• Tis hard to comprehend how one man can come to be master of many, equal to himself in right, unless it be by consent or by force.

  Algernon Sidney

  Men, Masters, Force

  Algernon SIDNEY, Isaac Littlebury (1704). “Discourses concerning Government ... Published by I. Littlebury from an original manuscript of the author”, p.20

  16 Copy quote

• Nay, all laws must fall, human societies that subsist by them be dissolved, and all innocent persons be exposed to the violence of the most wicked, if men might not justly defend themselves against injustice by their own natural right, when the ways prescribed by publick authority cannot be taken.

  Algernon Sidney

  Fall, Taken, Men

  Algernon Sidney (1805). “Discourses on Government”, p.431

  7 Copy quote

• [I]f vice and corruption prevail, liberty cannot subsist; but if virtue have the advantage, arbitrary power cannot be established.

  Algernon Sidney

  Liberty, Arbitrary, Vices

  10 Copy quote

• Laws and constitutions ought to be weighed... to constitute that which is most conducing to the establishment of justice and liberty.

  Algernon Sidney

  Law, Justice, Liberty

  Algernon Sidney (1751). “Discourses Concerning Government”, p.366

  8 Copy quote

• For violence or fraud can create no right.

  Algernon Sidney

  Philosophy, Political, Violence

  "Discourses Concerning Gouernment".

  12 Copy quote

• [A]ll popular and well-mixed governments [republics] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than by virtue: The worst men always conspiring against them, they must fall, if the best have not power to preserve them. . . . [and] unless they be preserved in a great measure free from vices . . . .

  Algernon Sidney

  Wise, Fall, Men

  7 Copy quote

• The only ends for which governments are constituted, and obedience rendered to them, are the obtaining of and protection; and they who cannot provide for both give the people a right of taking such ways as best please themselves, in order to their own safety.

  Algernon Sidney

  Government, Order, People

  Algernon Sidney (1751). “Discourses Concerning Government”, p.407

  9 Copy quote

• We cannot distinguish truth from falsehood, right from wrong, or know what obedience we owe to the magistrate, or what we may justly expect from him, unless we know what he is, why he is, and by whom he is made to be what he is.... I cannot know how to obey unless I know in what, and to whom; nor in what unless I know what ought to be commanded; nor what ought to be commanded unless I understand the original right of the commander, which is the great arcanum.

  Algernon Sidney

  May, Obedience, Made

  4 Copy quote

• Everyone sees they cannot well live asunder, nor many together, without some rule to which all must submit.

  Algernon Sidney

  Together, Wells, Submit

  7 Copy quote

• Swords were given to men, that none might be Slaves, but such as know not how to use them.

  Algernon Sidney

  Men, Use, Might

  Algernon SIDNEY, Isaac Littlebury (1704). “Discourses concerning Government ... Published by I. Littlebury from an original manuscript of the author”, p.245

  7 Copy quote

• Many things are unknown to the wisest, and the best men can never wholly divest themselves of passions and affections... nothing can or ought to be permanent but that which is perfect.

  Algernon Sidney

  Passion, Men, Perfect

  Algernon Sidney (1763). “Discourses Concerning Government”, p.366

  5 Copy quote

• God leaves to Man the choice of Forms in Government; and those who constitute one Form, may abrogate it.

  Algernon Sidney

  Men, Choices, May

  Algernon Sidney (1805). “Discourses on Government”, p.332

  4 Copy quote

• Men lived like fishes; the great ones devoured the small.

  Algernon Sidney

  Men, Society, Fishes

  'Discourses concerning Government' (1698) ch. 2, sect. 18

  15 Copy quote

• That is the best Government, which best provides for war.

  Algernon Sidney

  War, Government

  Algernon Sidney (1805). “Discourses on Government”, p.212

  5 Copy quote

• No right can come by conquest, unless there were a right of making that conquest.

  Algernon Sidney

  Conquest

  Algernon SIDNEY, Isaac Littlebury (1704). “Discourses concerning Government ... Published by I. Littlebury from an original manuscript of the author”, p.20

  9 Copy quote

• It is not necessary to light a candle to the sun

  Algernon Sidney

  Light, Sun, Candle

  'Discourses concerning Government' (1698) ch. 2, sect. 23.

  7 Copy quote

• Liars need to have good memories.

  Algernon Sidney

  Memories, Liars, Needs

  11 Copy quote

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