Virtue Quotes - Page 4

• That virtue which requires to be ever guarded is scarce worth the sentinel.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Guarded, Sentinels, Scarce

  'The Vicar of Wakefield' (1766) ch. 5

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• Virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when it is crushed.

  Baroness Orczy

  Crushed

  Baroness Orczy (2015). “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, p.88, Xist Publishing

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• I prefer an interesting vice to a virtue that bores.

  Moliere

  Interesting, Vices, Bores

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• Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.

  William Shakespeare

  Writing, Men, Evil

  'Henry VIII' (1613) act 4, sc. 2, l. 45

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• The only foundation for . . . a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.

  Benjamin Rush

  Bible, God, Religious

  Benjamin Rush (1806). “Essays, Literary, Moral and Philosophical ...”, p.8

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• Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.

  Confucius

  Chinese, Fine Words, Vices

  James Legge, Confucius, Mencius, Shih ching (1867). “The Chinese Classics: The life and works of Mencius”, p.117

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• That friendship may be at once fond and lasting, there must not only be equal virtue on each part, but virtue of the same kind; not only the same end must be proposed, but the same means must be approved by both.

  Samuel Johnson

  Mean, Vices, May

  Samuel Johnson (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With Murphy's Essay”, p.302

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• Assume a virtue if you have it not.

  William Shakespeare

  Memorable, Assuming, Assumption

  'Hamlet' (1601) act 3, sc. 4, l. 160

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• Without Virtue there can be no liberty

  Benjamin Rush

  Freedom, Liberty, Morality

  Benjamin Rush (1806). “Essays, Literary, Moral and Philosophical ...”, p.8

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• No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue.

  George Mason

  Freedom, Blessing, Government

  Virginia Declaration of Rights (Article 15), June 12, 1776.

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• Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim tribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness - these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. . . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.

  George Washington

  Religious, Business, Men

  "George Washington’s Farewell Address". "The Life of George Washington. Special Edition for Schools", ed. Robert Faulkner and Paul Carrese, Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, oll.libertyfund.org. 2000.

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• Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.

  Oscar Wilde

  Funny, Sarcastic, Patriotic

  Oscar Wilde (2007). “Epigrams of Oscar Wilde”, p.144, Wordsworth Editions

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• A virtue to be serviceable must, like gold, be alloyed with some commoner, but more durable alloy.

  Samuel Butler

  Gold, Commoners

  Samuel Butler (2016). “The Way of All Flesh”, p.75, Samuel Butler

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• Man seems to be capable of great virtues but not of small virtues; capable of defying his torturer but not of keeping his temper.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Men, Literature, Defying

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• Do not be troubled because you have not great virtues. God made a million spears of grass where He made one tree. The earth is fringed and carpeted, not with forests, but with grasses. Only have enough of little virtues and common fidelities, and you need not mourn because you are neither a hero or a saint.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Hero, Tree, Saint

  Henry Ward Beecher (1858). “Life Thoughts”, p.74

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• Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand.

  Confucius

  Hands, Wish, Confucianism

  Confucius (2012). “The Analects of Confucius In Plain and Simple English: BookCaps Study Guide”, p.57, BookCaps Study Guides

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• The more virtuous any man is, the less easily does he suspect others to be vicious.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Life, Men, Doe

  Marcus Tullius Cicero (1857). “Cicero's Three Books of Offices: Or Moral Duties; Also His Cato Major ... Laelius ... Paradoxes; Scipio's Dream; and Letter to Quintus on the Duties of a Magistrate. Literally Tr., with Notes ...”, p.311

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• The only amarantine flower on earth Is virtue.

  William Cowper

  Flower, Earth

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• Virtue may be assailed, but never hurt, Surprised by unjust force, but not enthralled.

  John Milton

  Hurt, Unjust, May

  'Comus' (1637) l. 586

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• The only way to have a friend is to be one.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Inspirational, Friendship, True Friend

  Essays "Friendship" (1841)

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• On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.

  George Orwell

  Wisdom, Time, Funny Life

  1942 'The Art of Donald McGill'.

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• Virtue and sense are one; and, trust me, still A faithless heart betrays the head unsound.

  John Armstrong

  Heart, Trust Me, Betray

  John Armstrong, John Dyer (1858). “The Poetical Works of Armstrong, Dyer, and Green: With Memoirs, and Critical Dissertations”, p.58

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• Virtue is a habit of the mind, consistent with nature and moderation and reason.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Philosophical, Mind, Reason

  Marcus Tullius Cicero (2014). “Delphi Complete Works of Cicero (Illustrated)”, p.1671, Delphi Classics

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• People praise virtue, but they hate it, they run away from it. It freezes you to death, and in this world you've got to keep your feet warm.

  Denis Diderot

  Death, Running, Hate

  Denis Diderot (1966). “Selected Writings”, New York : Macmillan

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• Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, And vice sometime by action dignified.

  William Shakespeare

  Vices, Action, Juliet

  1595 Friar Laurence. Romeo andJuliet, act 2, sc.2, l.21-2.

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