All authority must be out of a man's self, turned . . . either
upon an art, or upon read more

All authority must be out of a man's self, turned . . . either
upon an art, or upon a man.
- Francis Bacon,

Authority forgets a dying king,
Laid widow'd of the power in his eye
That bow'd the will.

Authority forgets a dying king,
Laid widow'd of the power in his eye
That bow'd the will.

Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that read more

Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.

Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of authority.

Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of authority.

Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain,
read more

Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain,
And make men giddy, proud, and vain.

Authority is quite degrading

Authority is quite degrading

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

All authority belongs to the people

All authority belongs to the people

Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
read more

Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he's most assured
His glassy essence--like an angry ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens,
would all themselves laugh mortal.