Noah Webster Quotes

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If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted . . . . If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.

Noah Webster

Happiness, Failure, Men

Noah Webster (1835). “Instructive and Entertaining Lessons for Youth: With Rules for Reading with Propriety, Illustrated by Examples: Designed for Use in Schools and Families”, p.230

213 Copy quote
Education is useless without the Bible. The Bible was America's basic text book in all fields. God's Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct.

Noah Webster

Bible, God, Education

198 Copy quote
Every civil government is based upon some religion or philosophy of life. Education in a nation will propagate the religion of that nation. In America, the foundational religion was Christianity. And it was sown in the hearts of Americans through the home and private and public schools for centuries. Our liberty, growth, and prosperity was the result of a Biblical philosophy of life. Our continued freedom and success is dependent on our educating the youth of America in the principles of Christianity.

Noah Webster

Success, Bible, Education

143 Copy quote
Language is the expression of ideas, and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas they cannot retain an identity of language.

Noah Webster

Country, Expression, Ideas

Noah Webster (1832). “A Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibi ... : in Two Volumes”, p.11

135 Copy quote
All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.

Noah Webster

Christian, Religious, War

Noah Webster (1832). “History of the United States: To which is Prefixed a Brief Historical Account of Our [English] Ancestors, from the Dispersion at Babel, to Their Migration to America, and of the Conquest of South America, by the Spaniards”, p.339

150 Copy quote
Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States.

Noah Webster

Army, Gun, Power

Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.43

167 Copy quote
...if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.

Noah Webster

Selfish, Men, Rights

Noah Webster (1835). “Instructive and Entertaining Lessons for Youth: With Rules for Reading with Propriety, Illustrated by Examples: Designed for Use in Schools and Families”, p.230

138 Copy quote
Every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country.

Noah Webster

Education, Country, Children

Noah Webster (2009). “A Collection of Essays and Fugitiv Writings on Moral, Historical, Political, and Literary Subjects”, p.28, Library of Alexandria

138 Copy quote
No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.

Noah Webster

Christian, Rights, Government

Noah Webster (1843). “A Collection of Papers on Political, Literary, and Moral Subjects”, p.291

96 Copy quote
EDUCATION, n. The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

Noah Webster

Education, Religious, Art

"A Dictionary of the English Language".

90 Copy quote
In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate-look to his character.

Noah Webster

Character, Men, Office

Noah Webster (1843). “A Collection of Papers on Political, Literary, and Moral Subjects”, p.303

109 Copy quote
The freedom of the press is a valuable privilege, but the abuse of it in this country is a frightful evil. The licentiousness of the press is a deep stain upon the character of the country; and in addition to the evil of calumniating good men and giving a wrong direction to public measures, it corrupts the people by rendering them insensible to the value of truth and of reputation.

Noah Webster

Christian, Country, Character

"Letters".

52 Copy quote
A pure democracy is generally a very bad government, It is often the most tyrannical government on earth; for a multitude is often rash, and will not hear reason.

Noah Webster

Government, Democracy, Earth

77 Copy quote
Any system of education...which limits instruction to the arts and sciences and rejects the aids of religion in forming the characters of citizens, is essentially defective.

Noah Webster

Art, Character, Citizens

72 Copy quote
The Bible must be considered as the great source of all the truth by which men are to be guided in government as well as in all social transactions.

Noah Webster

Truth, Men, Social

Noah Webster (1834). “Value of the Bible and Excellence of the Christian Religion: For the Use of Families and Schools”, p.177

61 Copy quote
When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty.

Noah Webster

Exercise, Men, Voting

Noah Webster (1837). “History of the United States: to which is prefixed a brief historical account of our [English] ancestors, from the dispersion at Babel, to their migration to America, and of the conquest of South America, by the Spaniards”, p.307

16 Copy quote
Language is not an abstract construction of the learned, or of dictionary makers, but is something arising out of the work, needs, ties, joys, affections, tastes, of long generations of humanity, and has its bases broad and low, close to the ground

Noah Webster

Ties, Long, Joy

95 Copy quote
The heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.

Noah Webster

Inspirational, Life, Heart

Noah Webster (1977). “A collection of essays and fugitiv writings 1790”, Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint

68 Copy quote
The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws . . . The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and his Apostles . . . This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government.

Noah Webster

4th Of July, Government, Law

10 Copy quote
Discipline our youth in early life in sound maxims of moral, political, and religious duties.

Noah Webster

Religious, Discipline, Political

Noah Webster (1953). “Letters”

20 Copy quote
The education of youth should be watched with the most scrupulous attention. [I]t is much easier to introduce and establish an effectual system ... than to correct by penal statutes the ill effects of a bad system. ... The education of youth ... lays the foundations on which both law and gospel rest for success.

Noah Webster

Law, Foundation, Attention

40 Copy quote
It is admitted that all men have an equal right to the enjoyment of their life, property and personal security; and it is the duty as it is the object, of government to protect every man in this enjoyment.

Noah Webster

Men, Duty, Protect

5 Copy quote
It is alleged by men of loose principles , or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political station. When a citizen gives his vote to a man of immorality , he abuses his civic responsibilty. He sacrifices not only his own interest but that of his neighbor, and he betrays the interest of his country.

Noah Webster

Country, Religious, Sacrifice

60 Copy quote
The causes which destroyed the ancient republics were numerous; but in Rome, one principal cause was the vast inequality of fortunes.

Noah Webster

Rome, Republic, Causes

Noah Webster (1790). “A collection of Essays and fugitive writings on moral, historical, polictical and literary subjects”, p.331

25 Copy quote
The education of youth, an employment of more consequence than making laws and preaching the gospel, because it lays the foundation on which both law and gospel rest for success.

Noah Webster

Education, Law, Preaching The Gospel

19 Copy quote

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Born: October 16, 1758
Died: May 28, 1843
Occupation: Lexicographer
Cite this Page: Citation

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