The voices / 47 fragments

John Selden

1584 AD — 1654 AD

Listed in the author section of Bartlett’s ninth-edition anthology, in the linked 1905 printing. Dates reflect that historical edition and may differ from modern scholarship.

Author and source reference ↗

▷ Play this voice Search within this voice ↗Place in time ↗knowledge friendship character learning wisdom faith life wealth

Historical source references

Table Talk
Printed citation: John Selden
Printed citation: Selden
Saying 362 · printed source label: Selden · entry translator not specified
Saying 466 · printed source label: Selden · entry translator not specified
Saying 470 · printed source label: Selden · entry translator not specified
Saying 476 · printed source label: Selden · entry translator not specified
Saying 558 · printed source label: Selden · entry translator not specified
Page 90 · printed citation: Selden (Table Talk)
Page 1 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Ability
Page 138 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Jews
Page 200 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Pleasure
Page 218 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Quotation
Page 229 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Rhetoric
Page 233 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Self-Abnegation
Page 265 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Truth
Page 278 · printed citation: Selden · subject: Wit

Archive entries

01Undated

Marriage is a desperate thing. The frogs in Æsop were extremely wise; they had a great mind to some water, but they would not leap into the well, because they could not get out again.

John Selden / quote

↗

02Undated

No man is the wiser for his learning.... Wit and wisdom are born with a man.

John Selden / quote

↗

03Undated

They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colours but black, then I am superstitious in not wearing black.

John Selden / quote

↗

04Undated

You see when they row in a barge, they that do drudgery work, slash, and puff, and sweat; but he that governs sits quietly at the stern, and scarce is seen to stir.

John Selden / quote

↗

05Undated

Wit and wisdom differ. Wit is upon the sudden turn, wisdom is in bringing about ends.

John Selden / quote

↗

06Undated

A wise man should never resolve upon anything, at least, never let the world know his resolution, for if he cannot reach that he is ashamed.

John Selden / quote

↗

07Undated

He that will give himself to all manner of ways to get money may be rich; so he that lets fly all he knows or thinks may by chance be satirically witty. Honesty sometimes keeps a man from growing rich, and civility from being witty.

John Selden / quote

↗

08Undated

Patience is the chiefest fruit of study; a man that strives to make himself different from other men by much reading gains this chiefest good, that in all fortunes he hath something to entertain and comfort himself withal.

John Selden / quote

↗

09Undated

No man is the wiser for his learning. It may administer matter to work in, or objects to work upon, but wit and wisdom are born with a man.

John Selden / quote

↗

10Undated

’Tis reason a Man that will have a Wife should be at the Charge of her Trinkets, and pay all the Scores she sets on him. He that will keep a Monkey, ’tis fit he should pay for the Glasses he breaks.

John Selden / quote

↗

11Undated

Words must be fitted to a man's mouth,—'twas well said of the fellow that was to make a speech for my Lord Mayor, when he desired to take measure of his lordship's mouth.

John Selden / quote

↗

12Undated

Talk what you will of the Jews; that they are cursed: they thrive wherever they come; they are able to oblige the prince of their country by lending him money; none of them beg; they keep together; and as for their being hated, why Christians hate one another as much.

John Selden / quote

↗

13Undated

'Tis a wrong way to proportion other men's pleasures to ourselves. 'Tis like a child's using a little bird—"Oh, poor bird, thou shalt sleep with me"—so lays it in his bosom and stifles it with his hot breath. The bird had rather be in the cold air. And yet, too, 'tis the most pleasing flattery to like what other men like.

John Selden / quote

↗

14Undated

In quoting of books, quote such authors as are usually read; others you may read for your own satisfaction, but not name them.

John Selden / quote

↗

15Undated

Rhetoric without logic is like a tree with leaves and blossoms, but no root; yet more are taken with rhetoric than logic, because they are caught with a free expression, when they understand not reason.

John Selden / quote

↗

16Undated

Rhetoric is very good, or stark naught; there's no medium in rhetoric.

John Selden / quote

↗

17Undated

'Tis much the doctrine of the times that men should not please themselves, but deny themselves everything they take delight in; not look upon beauty, wear no good clothes, eat no good meat, etc., which seems the greatest accusation that can be upon the Maker of all good things. If they are not to be used why did God make them?

John Selden / quote

↗

18Undated

In troubled water you can scarce see your face, or see it very little, till the water be quiet and stand still: so in troubled times you can see little truth; when times are quiet and settled, then truth appears.

John Selden / quote

↗

19Undated

Wit must grow like fingers. If it be taken from others 'tis like plums stuck upon blackthorns; there they are for a while, but they come to nothing.

John Selden / quote

↗

20Undated

Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes they were the easiest for his feet.

John Selden / quote

↗

21Undated

Prayer should be short without giving God Almighty reasons why He should grant this or that He knows best what is good for us.

John Selden / quote

↗

22Undated

Wise people say nothing in dangerous times.

John Selden / quote

↗

23Undated

Old friends are best.

John Selden / quote

↗

John Selden

Archive entries

Read further

Meditations

The Republic

Tao Te Ching