Quotes About Morality

The public have neither shame nor gratitude.

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea.

The object of punishment is, prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.

The ugliest of trades have their moments of pleasure. Now, if I was a grave digger, or even a hangman, there are some people I could work for with a great deal of enjoyment.

Reform must come from within, not from without. You cannot legislate for virtue.

Most people believe that the Christian commandments are intentionally a little too severe - like setting a clock half an hour ahead to make sure of not being late in the morning.

Revenge is an inhuman word.

All reform except a moral one will prove unavailing.

To keep your character intact you cannot stoop to filthy acts. It makes it easier to stoop the next time.

Man has no nobler function than to defend the truth.

I will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions.

Every person is responsible for all the good within the scope of his abilities, and for no more.

Sir, I would rather be right than be President.

He will hew to the line of right, let the chips fly where they may.

Two wrongs can never make a right.

Heaven itself has ordained the right.

Every man has the right to risk his own life in order to preserve it. Has it ever been said that a man who throws himself out the window to escape a fire is guilty of suicide?

The principle of procrastinated rape is said to be the ruling one in all the great bestsellers.

Almost all important questions are important precisely because they are not susceptible to quantitative answer.

We set up harsh and unkind rules against ourselves. No one is born without faults. That man is best who has fewest.

If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

Leaders can be moral-and they should be moral-without imposing their morality on others.

It is a purely relative matter where one draws the plimsoll-line of condemnation, and ... if you find the whole of humanity falls below it you have simply made a mistake and drawn it too high. And you are probably below it yourself.

Heaven and hell is right now. ... You make it heaven or you make it hell by your actions.