Quotes About Virtue

If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the quality of its music will furnish the answer.

If a man is not good, what has he to do with the rules of propriety? If he is not good, what has he to do with music?

What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?

Take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.

If you let people follow their feelings, they will be able to do good. This is what is meant by saying that human nature is good.

The end may be defined as life in accordance with nature or, in other words, in accordance with our own human nature as well as that of the universe.

Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our good qualities, and to overlook or extenuate our defects.

To be evenminded is the greatest virtue. Wisdom is to speak the truth and act in keeping with its nature.

Living virtuously is equal to living in accordance with one's experience of the actual course of nature

The man who has sufficient power over himself to wait until his nature has recovered its even balance is the truly wise man, but such beings are seldom met with.

Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.

Modesty in human beings is praised because it is not a matter of nature, but of will.

It is his nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.

So the nature required to make a really noble Guardian of our commonwealth will be swift and strong, spirited, and philosophic.

Friendship is given us by nature, not to favor vice, but to aid virtue.

When even one virtue becomes our nature, the mind becomes clean and tranquil. Then there is no need to practice meditation; we will automatically be meditating always. (151)

I have always considered it as treason against the great republic of human nature, to make any man's virtues the means of deceiving him.

No speech can stain what is noble by nature.

History teaches us virtue, but nature never ceases to teachh us vice.

There is within human nature an amazing potential for goodness.

It is the very nature of grace to make a man strive to be most eminent in that particular grace which is most opposed to his bosom sin.

Heaven is author of the virtue that is in me

A good disposition I far prefer to gold; for gold is the gift of fortune; goodness of disposition is the gift of nature. I prefer much rather to be called good than fortunate.

Good-nature and good-sense must ever join; To err is human, to forgive, divine.