1750s

Explore 76 quotes from the 1750s

If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?

Voltaire

Candide

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Topic

Problem of evil

Author

Voltaire

Source

Candide

Medium

Novel

Genre

Satire

Statement Type

Question

Language

French

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 6.

All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

Voltaire

Candide

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Topic

Problem of evil Nature of the world The world

Speaker

Pangloss

Author

Voltaire

Source

Candide

Medium

Novel

Genre

Satire

Language

French

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 1.

Haste makes Waste.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Haste Carelessness

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

English

Time

1753 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1753.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Little strokes fell great Oaks.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Butterfly effect Incremental progress Diligence Persistence

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1750 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1750.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely; or to be that thing which is the natural and proper object of love.

Adam Smith

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

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Topic

Human needs Character

Author

Adam Smith

Source

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

Genre

Economic literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. London: Andrew Millar/Edinburgh: Alexander Kincaid and J. Bell, 1759, pt. 3, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments, edited by Ryan Patrick Hanley. Penguin Books, 2009, pt. 3, ch. 2.

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Benjamin Franklin

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Topic

Civil liberties Freedom

Author

Benjamin Franklin

Source

Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1755 1750s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor." 11 Nov. 1755. Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1755-1756. Philadelphia, 1756, pp. 19-21.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 11 Nov. 1755." Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-06-02-0107

I have wanted to kill myself a hundred times, but somehow I am still in love with life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our more stupid melancholy propensities, for is there anything more stupid than to be eager to go on carrying a burden which one would gladly throw away, to loathe one’s very being and yet to hold it fast, to fondle the snake that devours us until it has eaten our hearts away?

Voltaire

Candide

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Topic

Love of life

Author

Voltaire

Source

Candide

Medium

Novel

Genre

Satire

Language

French

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 12.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 12.

The first man who, having fenced in a piece of land, said, "This is mine," and found people naïve enough to believe him, that man was the true founder of civil society.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Discourse on Inequality

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Topic

Civil society Property rights

Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Source

Discourse on Inequality

Genre

Political literature

Language

French

Time

1755 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Discours sur l'origine et les fondemonts de l'inegalite parmi les hommes [Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men]. Amsterdam: Marc-Michel Rey, 1755, pt. 2.

Current Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, translated by Donald A. Cress. Hackett, 1992, pt. 2.

Love your Neighbor; yet don't pull down your Hedge.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Maintaining healthy boundaries Being a good neighbor Neighbors

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Advice

Language

English

Time

1754 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1754.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Untapped potential Human potential Genius Education

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

English

Time

1750 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1750.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

I can with truth assure you, I heard Bulletts whistle and believe me there was something charming in the sound.

George Washington

More information about this quote

Topic

Attraction of war

Author

George Washington

Source

Letters of George Washington

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1754 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Washington, George. Letter to John Augustine Washington. 31 May 1754.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "To John Augustine Washington, May 31, 1754." George Washington: Writings, edited by John H. Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

Old Boys have their Playthings as well as young Ones; the Difference is only in the Price.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Youth vs. old age Expensive hobbies Hobbies

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

English

Time

1752 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1752.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

We have a degree of delight, and that no small one, in the real misfortunes and pains of others.

Edmund Burke

Philosophical Enquiry in the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful

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Topic

Schadenfreude

Author

Edmund Burke

Source

Philosophical Enquiry in the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1757 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Burke, Edmund. Philosophical Enquiry in the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. London: R and J. Dodsley, 1757, pt. 1, sec. 14.

Current Citation

Burke, Edmund. "Philosophical Enquiry in the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful." The Portable Edmund Burke, edited by Isaac Kramnick. Penguin, 2009, pt. 1, sec. 14.

The law is a sort of hocus-pocus science.

Charles Macklin

Love a la Mode

More information about this quote

Topic

Law

Speaker

Sir Archy

Author

Charles Macklin

Source

Love a la Mode

Medium

Play

Language

English

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Macklin, Charles. Love a la Mode. c. 1759, Drury Lane Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 1.

Such is the delight of mental superiority , that none on, whom nature or study have conferred it, would purchase the gifts of fortune by its loss.

Samuel Johnson

More information about this quote

Topic

Intelligence

Author

Samuel Johnson

Language

English

Time

1751 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Johnson, Samuel. The Rambler. London: J. Payne and J. Bouquet, 24 Aug. 1751.

Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack’d, and never well mended.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Reputation

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1750 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1750.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Great Estates may venture more;
Little Boats must keep near Shore.

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

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Topic

Appetite for risk Taking risks Risk Rich vs. poor

Author

Poor Richard (Benjamin Franklin)

Source

Poor Richard's Almanack

Medium

Almanac

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1751 1750s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin [published as Richard Saunders]. Poor Richard Improved. Philadelphia, 1751.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Poor Richard Improved." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Money is the seed of money, and the first guinea is sometimes more difficult to acquire than the second million.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Discourse on Political Economy

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Topic

Accumulation of wealth Money

Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Source

Discourse on Political Economy

Genre

Political literature

Language

French

Time

1755 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Discours sur l'economie politique [Discourse on Political Economy]. Encyclopédie, 1755.

Current Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "Discourse on the Political Economy." The Basic Political Writings, translated by Donald A. Cress. Hackett, 2012.

The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

Thomas Gray

Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard

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Topic

Inevitability of death

Author

Thomas Gray

Source

Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1751 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Gray, Thomas. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. London: Robert Dodsley, 1751.

Current Citation

Gray, Thomas. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." Elegy Written In Country Churchyard and Other Poems. Penguin Classics, 2009.

We must cultivate our garden.

Voltaire

Candide

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Topic

Gardens Simple living

Speaker

Candide

Author

Voltaire

Source

Candide

Medium

Novel

Genre

Satire

Language

French

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 30.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 30.