None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but licence.
Interpretation
True love for freedom is rooted in moral integrity, whereas others may only desire unrestricted behavior.
John Milton suggests that genuine love for freedom comes from a place of goodness and moral character. Those who are not good men may mistake their desire for license and untethered choices as a form of freedom, but this is a shallow understanding that lacks true ethical foundations.
In practice
In a lecture about ethics and freedom, this quote can illustrate the difference between genuine liberty and the reckless pursuit of freedom without moral consideration.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.
Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
Poor people never, or hardly ever, ask for an explanation of all they have to put up with. They hate one another, and content themselves with that.
To say that a man lieth, is as much to say, as that he is brave towards God, and a coward towards men.
Silence is the nest and music is the bird. The bird leaves the nest early in the morning and returns to the nest in the evening. Similarly, in the spiritual world, divine music comes from the inmost soul of Silence.
You've got to learn to accept the law of life, and face the fact that we disintegrate slowly.
Humans were denied the speech of animals. The only common ground of communication upon which dogs and men can get together is in fiction.
Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in this world.
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