Maxims

Famous quotes containing the word maxims:

    upon these maxims meditate:
    All women dote upon an idle man
    Although their children need a rich estate;
    No man has ever lived that had enough
    Of children’s gratitude or woman’s love.
    William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

    ... whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining absolute power over wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken—and notwithstanding all your wise Laws and Maxims we have it in our power not only to free ourselves but to subdue our Masters, and without violence throw both your natural and legal authority at our feet ...
    Abigail Adams (1744–1818)

    Then did they strive with emulation who should repeat most wise maxims importing the necessity of suspicion in the choice of our friends—such as “mistrust is the mother of security,” with many more to the same effect.... But notwithstanding the esteem which they professed for suspicion, yet did they think proper to veil it under the name of caution.
    Sarah Fielding (1710–1768)