Quotes About Virtue

But the more Emma recognised her love, the more she crushed it down, that it might not be evident, that she might make it less. What restrained her was, no doubt, idleness and fear, and a sense of shame also. She thought she had repulsed him too much, that the time was past, that all was lost. Then pride, the joy of being able to say to herself 'I am virtuous', and to look at herself in the glass taking resigned poses, consoled her a little for the sacrifice she believed she was making.

What is beautiful is moral, that is all, and nothing more

Ce qui m'a gardé de la débauche, ce n'est pas la vertu, mais l'ironie. La bêtise du vice me fait encore plus rire de pitié que la turpitude ne me dégoûte.

Morality and honor are not to be confused. The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.

Honor is simply the morality of superior men.

So stay, belov'd Content! nor let my soul In fretful passion seek a farther goal. Apollo, chasing Daphne, gain'd his prize, But lo! she turn'd to wood before his eyes! Our earthly prizes, though as holy sought, Prove just as fleeting, and decay to naught. Enduring bliss a man may only find In virtuous living, and contented mind.

Papá me enseñó a coquetear con todo el mundo, chicas y chicos, y acabé por considerar el encanto -y no la cortesía o la franqueza, o incluso la decencia- la principal virtud mundana

To them, violence, power, cruelty, were the supreme capacities of men who had definitely lost their place in the universe and were much too proud to long for a power theory that would safely bring them back and reintegrate them into the world. They were satisfied with blind partisanship in anything that respectable society had banned, regardless of theory or content, and they elevated cruelty to a major virtue because it contradicted society's humanitarian and liberal hypocrisy.

Wisdom is a virtue of old age, and it seems to come only to those who, when young, were neither wise nor prudent.

Neither Rousseau nor Robespierre was capable of dreaming of a goodness beyond virtue, just as they were unable to imagine that radical evil would 'partake nothing of the sordid or sensual' (Melville), that there could be wickedness beyond vice.

For goodness that is beyond virtue, and hence beyond temptation, ignorant of the argumentative reasoning by which man fends off temptations and, by this very process, comes to know the ways, of wickedness, is also incapable of learning the arts of persuading and arguing.

For are not all things created by God? How could God have created evil? [God] made all natures, not only those which persevered in virtue and justice, but also those that were to sin; and the latter [He made] not that they should sin, but that they might decorate the universe whether they wished to sin or not to sin.58

Toda virtud comienza con el cumplido que se le hace, mediante el cual se expresa la satisfacción por ella.

So I'm a hypocrite," Myron said. "Happy?" "But that is my point," Win said. "What?" "You're not a hypocrite. You aim toward lofty heights. The fact that your arrow cannot always reach them does not make you a hypocrite.

Pride, which inspires us with so much envy, is sometimes of use toward the moderating of it too.

What men call social virtues, good fellowship, is commonly but the virtue of pigs in a litter, which lie close together to keep each other warm.

Happiness and Virtue clasp hands and walk together.

The fragrance of sandalwood and rosebay does not travel far. But the fragrance of virtue rises to the heavens.

Tourism is sin, and travel on foot virtue.

The tree laden with fruits always bends low. If you wish to be great, be lowly and meek.

Virtue pardons the wicked, as the sandal-tree perfumes the axe which strikes it.

This world is a bitter tree, it has only two sweet nectar like fruits - one is soft voice and the other is company of gentlemen.

Virtuous persons and fruit-laden trees bow, but fools and dry sticks break because they do not bend.

Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself.