Learning is the ally, not the adversary of genius... he who reads in a proper spirit, can scarcely read too much.
Author
William Godwin
9 quotations
About William Godwin
William Godwin was 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, an early mystery novel that criticizes aristocratic privilege. Based on the success of both …
Read on Wikipedia → Find books by William GodwinThere can be no passion, and by consequence no love, where there is not imagination.
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.
The cause of justice is the cause of humanity. Its advocates should overflow with universal good will. We should love this cause, for it conduces to the general happiness of mankind.
Above all we should not forget that government is an evil, a usurpation upon the private judgement and individual conscience of mankind.
My thoughts will be taken up with the future or the past, with what is to come or what has been. Of the present there is necessarily no image.
Government will not fail to employ education, to strengthen its hands, and perpetuate its institutions.
As the true object of education is not to render the pupil the mere copy of his preceptor, it is rather to be rejoiced in, than lamented, that various reading should lead him into new trains of think…
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Let us not, in the eagerness of our haste to educate, forget all the ends of education.