The great mistake is that of looking upon men as virtuous or thinking that they can be made so by laws.

Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke

More information about this quote

Topic

Human nature

Speaker

Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke

Language

English

Time

1728 1720s 17th century

Occupation

Politician Philosopher

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Lord Bolingbrooke. Quoted in Observations, Anecdotes, and Characters by Joseph Spence. Edited by Samuel Weller Singer. W. H. Carpenter, 1820.

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Another quote from the 1720s

I said there was a Society of Men among us, bred up from their Youth in the Art of proving by Words multiplied for the Purpose, that White is Black, and Black is White, according as they are paid. To this Society all the rest of the People are Slaves.

Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travels

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Read Gulliver's Travels at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Lawyers

Author

Jonathan Swift
Source
Gulliver's Travels
Genre
Satire Travel writing
Language
English
Time
1726 1720s 18th century

Another quote about Human nature

If all men were just, there still would be some, though not so much, need of government.

Abraham Lincoln

Read the full text of this quote at umich.edu
More information about this quote
Topic
Government Human nature Political theory Politics

Author

Abraham Lincoln
Source
Journals of Abraham Lincoln
Medium
Personal journal
Language
English
Time
1854 1850s 19th century