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John Selden

16 December 1584-30 November 1654

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Abundance is not so much to be found in material possessions, but in an uncovetous spirit.

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Equity is a roguish thing: for law it is deemed by many a mere we have a measure, know what to speculative chimera, which can never trust to; equity is according to the be reduced to practice. But if the conscience of him that is chancellor, abuse is inevitable, does it follow that aa d as that is larger or narrower, so is we ought not to try at least to miti- equity. ’Tis all one as if they should gate it. It is precisely because the make the standard for the measure we force of things tends always to de- ca |i a f 0 ot a chancellor’s foot ; what stroy equably that the force of the an uncertain measure would this be! legislature mist always tend to main- One chancellor has a long foot, ant ft, n it. Rousseau. other a short foot, a third an indiffer , , ... _ . ent foot. ’Tis the same in the eban 1 he king ls'but a man, as I am ; the cellor’s conscience.

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Equity is a rougish thing that takes shape according to the conscience of him that is chancellor.

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Humility is a doctrine thought good by the master for his servant, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.

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Humility is a virtue all preach, none practice, and yet everybody is content to hear.

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Marriage is a desperate thing which the frogs in Aesop, who had a great mind to some water, wisely would not leap into the well, knowing they could not get out again.

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Opinion is something wherein I go about to give reasons why all the world should think as I think.

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Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain, the enjoying of something I am in great trouble for till I get it.

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Religion is like the fashion. One man wears his doublet slashed, another laced, another plain ; but every man has a doublet. So every man has his religion. We differ about trimming.