Quotes About Virtue

Be thou the first true merit to befriend, his praise is lost who stays till all commend.

A wit's a feather, and a chief a rod;An honest man's the noblest work of God.

Poetic Justice, with her lifted scale,Where, in nice balance, truth with gold she weighs,And solid pudding against empty praise.

To wake the soul by tender strokes of art,To raise the genius, and to mend the heart;To make mankind, in conscious virtue bold,Live o'er each scene, and be what they behold:For this the Tragic Muse first trod the stage.

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, His can't be wrong whose life is in the right.

Know then this truth, enough for man to know virtue alone is happiness below.

An honest man's the noblest work of God.

An honest man is the noblest work of God.

Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

An honest man's the noblest work of God

Averse alike to flatter, or offend; Not free from faults, nor yet too vain to mend.

Some who grow dull religious straight commence And gain in morals what they lose in sense.

How vain are all these Glories, all our Pains, Unless good Sense preserve what Beauty gains: That Men may say, when we the Front-box grace, Behold the first in Virtue, as in Face!

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, His can't be wrong whose life is in the right.

What conscience dictates to be done, Or warns me not to do, This, teach me more than Hell to shun, That, more than Heaven pursue.

Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of Sense, Lie in three words, Health, Peace, and Competence. But Health consists with Temperance alone, And Peace, oh Virtue! Peace is all thy own.

What then remains, but well our power to use, And keep good humour still whate'er we lose? And trust me, dear, good humour can prevail, When airs, and flights, and screams, and scolding fail. Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul

Fear not the anger of the wise to raise; Those best can bear reproof who merit praise.

The difference is too nice - Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

But sometimes virtue starves, while vice is fed." / What then? Is the reward of virtue bread?

Honour forbid! at whose unrivall'd shrine 105   Ease, pleasure, virtue, all our sex resign.   Methinks already I your tears survey,   Already hear the horrid things they say,   Already see you a degraded toast,   And all your honour in a whisper lost! 110   How shall I, then, your helpless fame

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.