He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
To a superior race of being the pretensions of mankind to extraordinary sanctity and virtue must seem… ridiculous.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Virtue is harmony.
—Pythagoras (570–495 BCE) Greek Philosopher
There is no man so good, who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the law, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Of all the benefits which virtue confers on us, the contempt of death is one of the greatest.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
If one is not virtuous he becomes vicious.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Virtue has never been as respectable as money.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
If you don’t like your own character there may be a new one ready-made and waiting for you. The snake sheds its skin with impunity, relying on the same nature which you rely on.
—Unknown
Mona Lisa is the only beauty who went through history and retained her reputation.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
For myself, I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use being anything else.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle… (or) Einstein’s Theory of Relativity … (or) the Second Theory of Thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
No one reaches a high position without daring.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Man seems to be capable of great virtues but not of small virtues; capable of defying his torturer but not of keeping his temper.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Of all the varieties of virtue, liberality is the most beloved.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Be virtuous and you will be eccentric.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
What is virtue but the Trade Unionism of the married?
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Virtue knows that it is impossible to get on without compromise, and tunes herself, as it were, a trifle sharp to allow for an inevitable fall in playing.
—Samuel Butler
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth.
—English Proverb
The mind’s direction is more important than its progress.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Courage is not limited to the battlefield or the Indianapolis 500 or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody’s looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you’re misunderstood.
—Unknown
When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you could n’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that ‘s just the place and time that the tide ‘ll turn. Never trust to prayer without using every means in your power, and never use the means without trusting in prayer.
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–96) American Abolitionist, Author
I cannot love anyone if I hate myself. That is the reason why we feel so extremely uncomfortable in the presence of people who are noted for their special virtuousness, for they radiate an atmosphere of the torture they inflict on themselves. That is not a virtue but a vice.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Men’s evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The chief assertion of religious morality is that white is a color. Virtue is not the absence of vices or the avoidance of moral dangers; virtue is a vivid and separate thing, like pain or a particular smell.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Many of us don’t have to turn out the lights to be in the dark.
—Indian Proverb
Wickedness is always easier than virtue; for it takes the short cut to everything.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The time is always right to do what’s right.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Optimism: The doctrine or belief that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
To be innocent is to be not guilty; but to be virtuous is to overcome our evil inclinations.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of a man you are, for it shows me what your ideal of manhood is, and what kind of a man you long to be.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
With virtue you can’t be entirely poor; without virtue you can’t really be rich.
—Chinese Proverb
Deep doubts, deep wisdom; small doubts, little wisdom.
—Chinese Proverb
I have never seen a man as fond of virtue as of women.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Beauty is not caused. It is.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
Virtue by premeditation isn’t worth much.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Masters who sacrifice for servants will receive the gift of loyalty.
—Common Proverb
Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.
—Unknown
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 (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed … The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.
—Abigail Adams (1744–1818) American First Lady
Some virtues are only seen in affliction and others only in prosperity.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Beauty is a harmonious relation between something in our nature and the quality of the object which delights us.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.
—Chinese Proverb