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Quote by Abraham Cowley

“The liberty of a people consists in being governed by laws which they have made themselves, under whatsoever form it be of government; the liberty of a private man, in being master of his own time and actions, as far as may consist with the laws of God and of his country.”

Quote by Abraham Cowley

Work

Essays, Plays and Sundry Verses

This book is a compilation of various literary works including essays, plays, and poems, showcasing a diverse range of writing styles and themes. more

Author

Abraham Cowley
Abraham Cowley

Abraham Cowley was a 17th-century English poet renowned for his elegant poetic style and profound literary thoughts. His works had a profound impact on the literary world of his time and are considered among the representative figures of classical poetry. more

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“'Tis liberty alone that gives the flower Of fleeting life its lustre and perfume; And we are weeds without it.”

“But slaves that once conceive the glowing thought Of freedom, in that hope itself possess All that the contest calls for; spirit, strength, The scorn of danger, and united hearts, The surest presage of the good they seek.”

“What censorship accomplishes, creating an unreal and hypocritical mythology, fomenting an attraction for forbidden fruit, inhibiting the creative minds among us and fostering an illicit trade. Above all, it curtails the right of the individual, be he creator or consumer, to satisfy his intellect and his interest without harm. In our law-rooted society, we are not the keeper of our brother's morals - only of his rights.”

“It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become prey to the active. The conditions upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt.”

“Liberty is the most jealous and exacting mistress that can beguile the brain and soul of man. She will have nothing from him who will not give her all. She knows that his pretended love serves but to betray. But when once the fierce heat of her quenchless, lustrous eyes have burned into the victim's heart, he will know no other smile but hers.”