Thomas More Quotes

Also known as Saint Thomas More and Sir Thomas More, was an English lawyer, author, and statesman who in his lifetime gained a reputation as a leading Renaissance humanist scholar, and occupied many public offices, including Lord Chancellor (1529-1532).
(1478 - 1535)

A friendship like love is warm; a love like friendship is steady.

A little wanton money, which burned out the bottom of his purse.

A man acts suitably to his nature, when he conquers his enemy in such a way as that no other creature but a man could be capable of, and that is by the strength of his understanding.

Alas!, how light a cause may move dissention between hearts that love! [Love]

An absolutely new idea is one of the rarest things known to man.

And it will fall out as in a complication of diseases, that by applying a remedy to one sore, you will provoke another; and that which removes the one ill symptom produces others.

And, indeed, though they differ concerning other things, yet all agree in this: that they think there is one Supreme Being that made and governs the world, whom they call, in the language of their country, Mithras.

Ask a woman's advice, and whatever she advises, Do the very reverse and you're sure to be wise.

By confronting us with irreducible mysteries that stretch our daily vision to include infinity, nature opens an inviting and guiding path toward a spiritual life.

Disguise our bondage as we will, 'Tis woman, woman, rules us still.

Education is not the piling on of learning, information, data, facts, skills, or abilities - that's training or instruction - but is rather making visible what is hidden as a seed. [Education]

Fond memory brings the light of other days around me.

For men use, if they have an evil turn, to write it in marble: and whoso doth us a good turn we write it in dust.

For when they see the people swarm into the streets, and daily wet to the skin with rain, and yet cannot persuade them to go out of the rain, they do keep themselves within their houses, seeing they cannot remedy the folly of the people.

He travels best that knows when to return.

Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal. [Anguish]

I die the king's faithful servant, but God's first.

I must say, extreme justice is an extreme injury: for we ought not to approve of those terrible laws that make the smallest offences capital, nor of that opinion of the Stoics that makes all crimes equal; as if there were no difference to be made between the killing a man and the taking his purse, between which, if we examine things impartially, there is no likeness nor proportion. God has commanded us not to kill, and shall we kill so easily for a little money?

I would uphold the law if for no other reason but to protect myself.

If honor were profitable, everybody would be honorable.