Who said “Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is…”?

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William Penn. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceAdvice to his children (1699)

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“Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.”
— William Penn
VerifiedAdvice to his children (1699) · evidenceBooks and Reading
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Advice to his children (1699).

APA

Penn, W. (n.d.). Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2512-much-reading-is-an-oppression-of-the-mind/

MLA

Penn, William. “Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2512-much-reading-is-an-oppression-of-the-mind/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Penn, William. “Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2512-much-reading-is-an-oppression-of-the-mind/.

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