Quotes About Character

The most beautiful thoughts are nothing without good works.34

What a mystery the human person is. Sometimes horrible effects of our choices come that we in no way intend. Sometimes the difference between what we think we are doing and what we are actually doing is total. But it is the inner intention that then characterizes what we do or do not do.

A man's character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin. If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth.

You know, Son, sometimes a fellow has to take a licking for doing the right thing. A licking only lasts a short while, even if it's a hard one, but failing to do the right thing will often make a mark on a man that will last forever.

But I knew a lot more than that; I knew exactly what sort of man he was in his old age, so it wasn't hard to guess what he must have been like as a young man--for a man's character doesn't change after he's thirty. It only becomes more firmly set, and is more deeply marked in his features.

One is respected in a community to the extent, and only to the extent, that he or she respects his own position in life. There are doctors, lawyers, and even clergymen who are a disgrace to humanity, and the disciples of Christ were lowly fishermen. I would not, for all the world, have any one of you children grow up to feel that you were less than equal in every way to any other human being who walks the face of the earth.

There are only two kinds of men in this world: Honest men and dishonest men. There are black men and white men and yellow men and red men, but nothing counts except whether they're honest men or dishonest men.

True humility is intelligent self respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.

Nothing is so strong as gentleness and nothing is so gentle as real strength.

Men wish to be saved from the mischiefs of their vices, but not from their vices.

We judge a man's wisdom by his hope.

No change of circumstances can repair a defect of character.

The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops, but the kind of man that the country turns out.

For me, commerce is of trivial import; love, faith, truth of character, the aspiration of man, these are sacred; nor can I detach one duty, like you, from all other duties, and concentrate my forces mechanically on the payment of moneys

Commerce is of trivial import; love, faith, truth of character, the aspiration of man, these are sacred.

The greatest man in history was the poorest

The foundation of culture, as of character, is at last the moral sentiment.

It is only when the mind and character slumber that the dress can be seen.

The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.

I hate the giving of the hand unless the whole man accompanies it.

Wisdom has its root in goodness, not goodness its root in wisdom.

The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops—no, but the kind of man the country turns out.

In self-trust all the virtues are comprehended.

Character is what can do without success.