quotations about necessity
A man can no more justly make use of another's necessity to force him to become his vassal by withholding that relief God requires him to afford to the wants of his brother, than he that has more strength can seize upon a weaker, master him to his obedience, and with a dagger at his throat, offer him death or slavery.
JOHN LOCKE
Two Treatises of Government
Necessity hath no law. Feigned necessities, imaginary necessities ... are the greatest cozenage that men can put upon the Providence of God, and make pretences to break known rules by.
OLIVER CROMWELL
speech to Parliament, September 12, 1654
We cannot conquer fate and necessity, yet we can yield to them in such a manner as to be greater than if we could.
WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR
Imaginary Conversations
Oh! marvellous, O stupendous Necessity -- by thy laws thou dost compel every effect to be the direct result of its cause, by the shortest path. These are miracles.
LEONARDO DA VINCI
Notebooks
Necessity imposes law, but does not herself receive it.
PUBLIUS SYRUS
attributed, Day's Collacon
Necessity has a way of obliterating from our conduct various delicate scruples regarding honor and pride.
WILLIAM FAULKNER
Absalom, Absalom!
Necessity is a sore penance; and extremity is as hard to bear as death.
CANTACUZENUS
attributed, Day's Collacon
When we are incapable of recognizing the laws of necessity, we believe ourselves to be free.
LUDWIG BÖME
attributed, Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists
Necessity inspires the fatal thought.
VITTORIO ALFIERI
Agamemnon
Freedom is only necessity understood.
WILLIAM JAMES
"The Dilemma of Determinism"
From blind physical necessity, which is always and everywhere the same, no variety adhering to time and place could evolve, and all variety of created objects which represent order and life in the universe could happen only by the willful reasoning of its original Creator, Whom I call the Lord God.
ISAAC NEWTON
attributed, Our Humanist Heritage
We give to necessity the praise of virtue.
QUINTILIAN
Institutio Oratoria
Necessity is not an established fact, but an interpretation.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
The Will to Power
Constant and exclusive devotion to mere physical necessities, degrades man to the rank of an animal.
FELICITE ROBERT DE LAMENNAIS
The People's Own Book
Stern is the on-look of necessity. Not without a shudder may the hand of man grasp the mysterious urn of destiny.
FRIEDRICH SCHILLER
The Death of Wallenstein
Necessity does the work of courage.
GEORGE ELIOT
Romola
A grand necessity elevates man; a small one degrades him.
L. J. NIVERNAIS
attributed, Day's Collacon
Nothing is more necessary than the unnecessary.
ROBERTO BENIGNI
Life Is Beautiful
Necessity is an evil; but there is no necessity for continuing to live subject to necessity.
EPICURUS
attributed, Letters, Principle Doctrines and Vatican Sayings
Necessity's sharp pinch!
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
King Lear