Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
A hundred years of an immoral and wavering person is not worth one day of a person who practises morality and concentration.
—Buddhist Teaching
The greater part of humanity is too much harassed and fatigued by the struggle with want, to rally itself for a new and sterner struggle with error.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Moral codes adjust themselves to environmental conditions.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
Morality is a private and costly luxury.
—Henry Adams (1838–1918) American Historian, Man of Letters
It’s morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money.
—W. C. Fields (1880–1946) American Actor, Comedian, Writer
We moralize among ruins.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
One who practises morality, having his words and deeds well-controlled, will be befriended by many, while one who does not behave himself in accordance with morality, who is given to immoral conduct, will be shut off from his friend.
—Buddhist Teaching
Don’t say you don’t have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours per day
that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,
Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci,
Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
It is far easier for a woman to lead a blameless life than it is for a man; all she has to do is to avoid sexual intercourse like the plague.
—Angela Carter (1940–92) English Novelist
Where social improvements originate with the clergy, and where they bear a just share of the toil, the condition of morals and manners cannot be very much depressed.
—James Martineau (1805–1900) English Philosopher, Religious Leader
Let but the public mind once become thoroughly corrupt, and all attempts to secure property, liberty, or life, by mere force of laws written on parchment, will be as vain as to put up printed notices in an orchard to keep off canker-worms.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
I’m as pure as the driven slush.
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actress
The Christian religion is the only one that puts morality on its proper, and the right basis, viz: the fear and love of God.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The greatest tragedy in mankind’s entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.
—Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) British Scientist, Science-fiction Writer
Learn what a people glory in, and you may learn much of both the theory and practice of their morals.
—James Martineau (1805–1900) English Philosopher, Religious Leader
Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Don’t let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.
—Lincoln Steffens (1846–1936) American Journalist, Academic, Political Philosopher
Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
The true meaning of religion is thus, not simply morality, but morality touched by emotion.
—Matthew Arnold (1822–88) English Poet, Critic
Morality is the custom of one’s country and the current feeling of one’s peers.
—Samuel Butler
I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Unfortunately, moral beauty in art—like physical beauty in a person—is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or intellectual beauty. Moral beauty has a tendency to decay very rapidly into sententiousness or untimeliness.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
The essence of morality is a questioning about morality; and the decisive move of human life is to use ceaselessly all light to look for the origin of the opposition between good and evil.
—Georges Bataille (1897–1962) French Essayist, Intellectual
Morality is contraband in war.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
Morality is the vestibule of religion.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
I never come back home with the same moral character I went out with; something or other becomes unsettled where I had achieved internal peace; some one or other of the things I had put to flight reappears on the scene.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Every man, in his own opinion, forms an exception to the ordinary rules of morality.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
For morality life is a war, and the service of the highest is a sort of cosmic patriotism which also calls for volunteers.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
In his present life a wise man who is perfectly equipped with morality is always honoured. After his death he will enter into the realm of bliss. He is thus blessed with rejoice everywhere.
—Buddhist Teaching
We become moral when we are unhappy.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
Every young man would do well to remember that all successful business stands on the foundation of morality.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
While moral rules may be propounded by authority the fact that these were so propounded would not validate them.
—A. J. Ayer (1910–89) English Philosopher
Boredom is a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Morality, when vigorously alive, sees farther than intellect, and provides unconsciously for intellectual difficulties.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
Discourses on morality and reflection on human nature, are the best means we can make use of to improve our minds, gain a true knowledge of ourselves, and recover our souls out of the vice, ignorance, and prejudice which naturally cleave to them.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
To set up as a standard of public morality a notion which can neither be defined nor conceived is to open the door to every kind of tyranny.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
A fool who is fickle in his practising morality is always blamed. He will even regret after his death. He is always doomed to misery.
—Buddhist Teaching
However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue.
—Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) German Philosopher, Linguist, Statesman
Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it’s set a rolling it must increase.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side; one which we preach but do not practice and another which we practice but seldom preach.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Morality without religion is only a kind of dead-reckoning—an endeavor to find our place on a cloudy sea by measuring the distance we have run, but without any observation of the heavenly bodies.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic