Margaret Cavendish Quotes

“There is little difference between man and beast, but what ambition and glory makes.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Besides, we shall want employments for our senses, and subjects for arguments; for were there nothing but truth, and no falsehood, there would be no occasion for to dispute, and by this means we should want the aim and pleasure of our endeavours in confuting and contradicting each other; neither would one man be thought wiser than another, but all would either be alike knowing and wise, or all would be fools ...”

— Margaret Cavendish

That much gold, and great store of riches makes them mad, insomuch as they endeavour to destroy each other ...

— Margaret Cavendish

“That in former ages they had been as wise as they are in this present, nay, wiser; for, said they, many in this age do think their forefathers have been fools, by which they prove themselves to be such.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Women's Tongues are as sharp as two-edged Swords, and wound as much, when they are anger'd.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“I am not covetous, but as ambitious as ever any of my sex was, is, or can be; which makes, that though I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First; and although I have neither power, time, not occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rather than not be mistress of one, since Fortune and Fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own; for which nobody, I hope, will blame me, since it is in everyone's power to do the like.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“But if our sex would but well consider and rationally ponder, they will perceive and find that it is neither words nor place that can advance them, but worth and merit.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“A rude nature is worse than a brute nature by so much more as man is better than a beast: and those that are of civil natures and genteel dispositions are as much nearer to celestial creatures as those that are rude and cruel are to devils.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Indeed, I was so afraid to dishonour my friends and family by my indiscreet actions, that I rather chose to be accounted a fool, than to be thought rude or wanton.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“And though my Lord hath lost his estate and been banished out of his country, yet neither despised poverty nor pinching necessity could make him break the bonds of friendship or weaken his loyal duty.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“As for plenty, we had not only for necessity, conveniency and decency, but for delight and pleasure to superfluity.”

— Margaret Cavendish

Indeed I had not much wit, yet I was not an idiot - my wit was according to my years.

— Margaret Cavendish

“For Pleasure, Delight, Peace and Felicity live in method and temperance.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“My mother was a good mistress to her servants, taking care of them in their sicknesses, not sparing any cost she was able to bestow for their recovery.”

— Margaret Cavendish

As for our garments, my Mother did not only delight to see us neat and cleanly, fine and gay, but rich and costly: maintaining us to the heighth of her estate, but not beyond it.

— Margaret Cavendish

First, they were bred when I was not capable to observe or before I was born; likewise the breeding of men is of a different manner from that of women.

— Margaret Cavendish

In such misfortunes my Mother was of an heroic spirit, in suffering patiently when there was no remedy, and being industrious where she thought she could help.

— Margaret Cavendish

“Not that I am ashamed of my mind or body, my birth or breeding, my actions or fortunes, for my bashfulness is in my nature, not for any crime.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“For disorder obstructs: besides, it doth disgust life, distract the appetities, and yield no true relish to the senses.”

— Margaret Cavendish

Marriage is the grave or tomb of wit.

— Margaret Cavendish

“And though I might have learnt more wit and advanced my understanding by living in a Court, yet being dull, fearful and bashful, I neither heeded what was said or practised, but just what belonged to my loyal duty and my own honest reputation.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“My other brother, the Lord Lucas, who was heir to my father's estate, and as it were the father to take care of us all, is not less valiant than they were, although his skill in the discipline of war was not so much, not being bred therein.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“For I, hearing my Lord's estate amongst many more estates was to be sold, and that the wives of the owners should have an allowance therefrom, it gave me hopes I should receive a benefit thereby.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Indeed I did not stand as a beggar at the Parliament door, for I never was at the Parliament-House, nor stood I ever at the door as I do know or can remember; not as a petitioner I am sure.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“And not only my own brothers and sisters agreed so but my brothers and sisters in law; and their children, although but young, had the like agreeable natures and affectionate dispositions.”

— Margaret Cavendish

As for my brothers, of whom I had three, I know not how they were bred.

— Margaret Cavendish

“Not because they were servants were we so reserved, for many noble persons are forced to serve through necessity, but by reason the vulgar sort of servants are as ill bred as meanly born, giving children ill examples and worse counsel.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“If Atomes are as small, as small can bee,They must in quantity of Matter all agree”

— Margaret Cavendish

I think a bad husband is far worse than no husband ...

— Margaret Cavendish

“Pain and Oblivion make mankind afraid to die; but all creatures are afraid of the one, none but mankind afraid of the other.”

— Margaret Cavendish

One may be my very good friend, and yet not of my opinion ...

— Margaret Cavendish

Thoughts are like stars in the firmament; some are fixed, others like the wandering planets, others again are only like meteors. Understanding is like the Sun, which gives light to all the thoughts. Memory is like the Moon, it hath its new, its full and its wane.

— Margaret Cavendish

“Nature, being a wise and provident lady, governs her parts very wisely, methodically, and orderly: Also, she is very industrious and hates to be idle, which makes her employ her time as a good housewife doth.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Some brains are barren grounds, that will not bring seed or fruit forth, unless they are well manured with the old wit which is raked from other writers and speakers.”

— Margaret Cavendish

Who can Perswade more Powerfully than Poets?

— Margaret Cavendish

“Everyone's conscience in religion is between God and themselves, and it belongs to none other.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“I would rather die in the adventure of noble achievements than live in obscure and sluggish security.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“Prosperity is like perfume, it often makes the head ache.”

— Margaret Cavendish

“The truth is, we [women] live like bats, or owls, labor like beasts, and die like worms.”

— Margaret Cavendish