More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 11 170-173 (Of Formality)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 11 170-173 (Of Formality)

Bonus: 

This stopped working for like a week, worked again last night, and now doesn't again after I updated everything. Ughhhhh

Summary: Don't just be formal for formality's sake.

Commentary: 

170. Form is Good, but not Formality.

171. In the Use of the best of Forms there is too much of that I fear.

Ahhh, Plato!

’T s absolutely necessary, that this Distinction should go along with People in their Devotion; for too many are apter to rest upon What they do, than How they do their Duty.

Zero character contraction.

 

 

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 10 155-169 (Of the Rule of Judging)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 10 155-169 (Of the Rule of Judging)

Bonus: 

More stiff than steady

Summary: Ask questions, and be willing to be proved wrong. Change your mind if you are.

Commentary:

155. In all Things Reason should prevail: ’T is quite another Thing to be stiff than steady in an Opinion.

There's a lot of jokes here, but it's also fair advice. 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 9 126-154 (Union of Friends, Being Easy in Living, and Man's Inconsiderateness and Partiality)

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 9 126-154 (Union of Friends, Being Easy in Living, and Man's Inconsiderateness and Partiality)

Bonus: 

Demonbane is a fever dream

Summary: True Friendship can never die, our things own us, you'd be happier if you listened to God.

Commentary: 

128. Death cannot kill, what never dies.

or

137. They narrow their own Freedom and Comforts, that make so much requisite to enjoy them.

Someone tell my wife!

146. It must be therefore a gross Fault to strive so hard for the Pleasure of our Bodies, and be so insensible and careless of the Freedom of our Souls.

I should count how many times this comes up if I ever do a reread. 

 

 

Stop  

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 8 117- 126 (Of Conduct In Speech)

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 8 117- 126 (Of Conduct In Speech)

Bonus: 

Not allowed!

Summary: Speak plainly and sparingly, but don't be afraid to ask questions.

Commentary: 

118. It is safer to Learn, than teach; and who conceals his Opinion, has nothing to Answer for.

William Penn on school shootings.

121. Beware also of Affectation in Speech; it often wrongs Matter, and ever shows a blind Side.

No anime girls for William Penn. 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 7 103-116 (Of Praise or Applause)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 7 103-116  (Of Praise or Applause)

Bonus: 

They deserve it

Summary: Don't just do it for the applause.

Commentary: 

104. But if we would Deserve it, we must love Virtue more than That.

115. Be not fond therefore of Praise, but seek Virtue that leads to it. 

Value the thing you're doing more than the applause you get from it is good advice.

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 6 92-102 (Of Man's Life and Ambition)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 6 92-102  (Of Man's Life and Ambition)

Bonus: 

I wasn't really sure what to put, but this popped up in my feed.

Summary: Do good stuff, and it'll last.

Commentary:

These are short, but they paired nicely. Life opens with:

92. Why is Man less durable than the Works of his Hands, but because This is not the Place of his Rest?

And Ambition follows with:

100. Good Works are a Rock, that will support their Credit; but Ill Ones a Sandy Foundation that Yields to Calamities.

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 5 80-91 (Of Envy)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 5 80-91 (Of Envy)

Bonus: 

 

NV

Summary: Be honest in your assessment of things.

Commentary: I'm just giggling about the title of this collection being "More" Fruits of Solitude tonight.  

80. It is the Mark of an ill Nature, to lessen good Actions, and aggravate ill Ones.

Being able to judge actions mostly objectively (as opposed to simply based on who is doing them) is one of the thing people struggle the most with. It's a shame, since it'd probably be one of the most helpful for society.