Margaret Cavendish > Quotes

“there is little difference between man and beast, but what ambition and glory makes.”
― Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle

“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 - Dutchess of Newcastle

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

“I had rather die in the adventure of noble achievements, than live in obscure and sluggish security.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“For Nature is so full of variety, that our weak Senses cannot perceive all the various sorts of her Creatures; neither is there any one object perceptible by all our Senses, no more then several objects are by one sense.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“...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, The Blazing World and Other Writings

“...that much gold, and great store of riches makes them mad, insomuch as they endeavour to destroy each other...”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World and Other Writings

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

“...though I have neither Power, Time nor Occasion, to be a great Conqueror, like Alexander, or Cesar; yet, rather than not be Mistress of a World, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made One of my own. And thus, believing, or, at least, hoping, that no Creature can, or will, Envy me for this World of mine, I remain,

Noble Ladies, Your Humble Servant, M. Newcastle.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“A judge, replied the Empress, is easy to be had, but to get an impartial judge, is a thing so difficult.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“each followed such a profession as was most proper for the nature of their Species, which the Empress encouraged them in, especially those that had applied themselves to the study of several Arts and Sciences; for they were as ingenious and witty in the invention of profitable and useful Arts, as we are in our world, nay, more; and to that end she erected Schools, and founded several Societies.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“Phænomena's of Cœlestial Bodies”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“Adventure, and not being provided for so cold a Voyage, were all frozen to death; the young Lady onely, by the light of her Beauty, the heat of her Youth, and Protection of the Gods, remaining alive: Neither was it a wonder that the men did freeze to death; for they were not onely driven to the very end or point of the Pole of that World, but even to another Pole of another World, which”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“Nevertheless, although they were thinner then the thinnest vapour, yet were they not so thin as the body of air, or else they would not be perceptible by animal sight.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“By which we may see, that Novelty discomposes the mind, but acquaintance settles it in peace and tranquillity.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“Besides, said they, a Monarchy is a divine form of Government, and agrees most with our Religion: For as there is but one God, whom we all unanimously worship and adore with one Faith; so we are resolved to have but one Emperor, to whom we all submit with one obedience.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“But the Duchess's Soul being troubled, that her dear Lord and Husband used such a violent exercise before meat, for fear of overheating himself, without any consideration of the Empress's Soul, left her Æreal Vehicle, and entred into her Lord. The Empress's Soul perceiving this, did the like: And then the Duke had three Souls in one Body; and had there been some such Souls more, the Duke would have been like the Grand-Signior in his Seraglio, onely it would have been a Platonick Seraglio.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World

“At which the Emperor rejoycing, made her his Wife, and gave her an absolute power to rule and govern all that World as she pleased.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“..fear and wonder makes gods.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World and Other Writings

“That this multitude of pores was the cause of the blackness of the Coal; for, said they, a body that has so many pores, from each of which no light is reflected, must necessarily look black, since black is nothing else but a privation of light, or a want of reflection.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“If any should like the World I have made, and be willing to be my Subjects, they may imagine themselves such, and they are such, I mean in their Minds, Fancies or Imaginations; but if they cannot endure to be Subjects, they may create Worlds of their own, and Govern themselves as they please.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World and Other Writings

“[...] for, I am not Covetous, but as Ambitious as ever any of my Sex was, is, or can be; which is the cause, That though I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second; yet, I will endeavour to be, Margaret the First: and, though I have neither Power, Time nor Occasion, to be a great Conqueror, like Alexander, or Cesar; yet, rather than not be Mistress of a World, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made One of my own.”
― Margaret Cavendish

“But for the most part, women are not educated as they should be, I mean those of quality; oft their education is only to dance, sing and fiddle, to write complemental letters, to read romances, to speak some languages that are not their native...their parents take more care of their feet than their head, more of their words than their reason.”
― Margaret Cavendish

“No Creature doth usurp as much as man -
Who think himself like God because he can.”
― Margaret Cavendish

“The reason thereof is, said the Duchess, that they have too little Gold and Riches, which makes them so eager to have it. No, replied the Empress's Soul, their particular Covetousness, is beyond all the wealth of the richest World, and the more Riches they have, the more Covetous they are; for their Covetousness is Infinite.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World

“It you will but direct me, said the Duchess to the spirits, which world is easiest to be conquered, her Majesty will assist me with the means, and I will trust to fate and fortune; for I had rather die in the adventure of noble achievements, than live in obscure and sluggish security; since by the one, I may live in a glorious fame, and by the other I am buried in oblivion.”
― Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World and Other Writings