Quotes About Virtue

In truth, prosperity tries the souls even of the wise.

A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.

The glory that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal.

The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile virtue is a possession glorious and eternal.

malis moribus, maxima spe

imitari quam invidere bonis malebant.

omnia mala exempla ex rebus bonis orta sunt.

magis quid se dignum foret, quam quid in illos iure fieri posset, quaerebant.

Honour is not bestowed upon merit.

Aquella manifestación aberrante de la virtud del pudor que es el pecado de la soberbia.

He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections.

A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.

No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders.

Half the vices which the world condemns most loudly have seeds of good in them and require moderate use rather than total abstinence.

Virtue knows that it is impossible to get on without compromise, and tunes herself, as it were, a trifle sharp to allow for an inevitable fall in playing.

Men should not try to overstrain their goodness more than any other faculty.

The function of vice is to keep virtue within reasonable bounds.

Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself

Suspicion is not less an enemy to virtue than to happiness; he that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious, and he that becomes suspicious will quickly become corrupt

Surely, it is much easier to respect a man who has always had respect, than to respect a man who we know was last year no better than ourselves, and will be no better next year.

Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven't courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.

The vicious count their years; virtuous, their acts.

There are few ways in which a man can be more innocently employed than in getting money.

It is generally agreed, that few men are made better by affluence or exaltation.