freedom - quotes

Henry James, 1843-1916

was a British (US -born) author

People can be in general pretty well trusted, of course — with the clock of their freedom ticking as loud as it seems to do here — to keep an eye on the fleeting hour.

( “The Ambassadors”, Book Fifth, Chapter 2, 1903 )

Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), 1835-1910

was an US humorist, novelist, short story author, and wit

It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.

( “Following the Equator”,p 195, 1897 )

Berthold Auerbach, 1812-1882

was a German novelist

Only he is free who cultivates his own thoughts, and strives without fear to do justice to them.

(Marcus Tullius) Cicero, 106 BC-43 BC

was a Roman author, orator, and politician

The freedom of poetic license.

( “Pro Publio Sestio” )

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832

was a German dramatist, novelist, poet, and scientist

I love the deep quiet in which I live and grow against the world and harvest what they cannot take from me by fire or sword.

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

was an US (German-born) physicist

Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.

Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826

was a 3rd president of US

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Clarence (Seward) Darrow, 1857-1938

was an US defense lawyer

You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man's freedom. You can be free only if I am free.

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

was an US (German-born) physicist

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.

( “Out of My Later Years”, 1950 )

John Stuart Mill, 1806-1873

was an English economist and philosopher

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

John Stuart Mill, 1806-1873

was an English economist and philosopher

The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.

( “On Liberty”, 1859 )