The world is not run by thought, nor by imagination, but by opinion.

The world is not run by thought, nor by imagination, but by opinion.

Facts are cheels that winna ding,
An' downs be disputed.

Facts are cheels that winna ding,
An' downs be disputed.

We should never let ourselves be burnt for our opinions; we are not that sure of them. But perhaps for read more

We should never let ourselves be burnt for our opinions; we are not that sure of them. But perhaps for this -- that we may have and change our opinions.

The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.

The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.

Force and not opinion is the queen of the world; but it is
opinion that uses the force.
read more

Force and not opinion is the queen of the world; but it is
opinion that uses the force.
[Fr., La force est la reine du monde, et non pas l'opinion; mais
l'opinion est celle qui use de la force.]

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye
between two opinions? if the Lord read more

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye
between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if
Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Facts are stubborn things.

Facts are stubborn things.

One should respect public opinion in so far as it is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, read more

One should respect public opinion in so far as it is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.

But in every matter the consensus of opinion among all nations is
to be regarded as the law of read more

But in every matter the consensus of opinion among all nations is
to be regarded as the law of nature.
[Lat., Omni autem in re consensio omnium gentium lex naturae
putanda est.]