Conscience, honor, and credit, are all in our interest; and without the concurrence of the former, the latter are but impositions upon ourselves and others.
—Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician
Some persons follow the dictates of their conscience, only in the same sense in which a coachman may be said to follow the horses he is driving.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
I feel within me a peace above all earthly dignities, a still and quiet conscience.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Again and again I am brought up against it, and again and again I resist it: I don’t want to believe it, even though it is almost palpable: the vast majority lack an intellectual conscience; indeed, it often seems to me that to demand such a thing is to be in the most populous cities as solitary as in the desert.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
A man’s moral conscience is the curse he had to accept from the gods in order to gain from them the right to dream.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty conscience is solicitous even in solitude.—If we do nothing but what is honest, let all the world know it.—But if otherwise, what does it signify to have nobody else know it, so long as I know it myself?—Miserable is he who slights that witness.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Once we assuage our conscience by calling something a necessary evil, it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
Trust that man in nothing who has not a conscience in everything.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
The man whose conscience is clear will never fear a knock on the door at midnight.
—Chinese Proverb
The conscience is the most flexible material in the world. Today you cannot stretch it over a mole hill; while tomorrow it can hide a mountain.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Tenderness of conscience is always to be distinguished from scrupulousness. The conscience cannot be kept too sensitive and tender; but scrupulousness arises from bodily or mental infirmity, and discovers itself in a multitude of ridiculous, superstitious, and painful feelings.
—Richard Cecil
Conscience is the only clue that will eternally guide a man clear of all doubts and inconsistencies
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
He will easily be content and at peace, whose conscience is pure.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Conscience is the dog that can’t bite, but never stops barking.
—Common Proverb
Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
When I contemplate the accumulation of guilt and remorse which, like a garbage-can, I carry through life, and which is fed not only by the lightest action but by the most harmless pleasure, I feel Man to be of all living things the most biologically incompetent and ill-organized. Why has he acquired a seventy years life-span only to poison it incurably by the mere being of himself? Why has he thrown Conscience, like a dead rat, to putrefy in the well?
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Inventor
Conscience is our magnetic compass; reason our chart.
—Joseph Cook
The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants.
—Omar Bradley (1893–1981) American Military Leader
Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
—Chinese Proverb
There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its length: a quiet conscience.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
One should be more concerned about what his conscience whispers than about what other people shout.
—Indian Proverb
Every human being has a work to carry on within, duties to perform abroad, influences to exert, which are peculiarly his, and which no conscience but his own can teach.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, and every tongue brings in a several tale, and every tale condemns me for a villain.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The men who succeed best in public life are those who take the risk of standing by their own convictions.
—James A. Garfield (1831–81) American Head of State, Lawyer, Educator
Conscience serves us especially to judge of the actions of others.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) French-Swiss Lyric Poet
Seven Social Sins
Politics without principles
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Worship without sacrifice.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Conscience, man’s moral medicine chest.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
There is no future pang can deal that justice on the self-condemned, he deals on his own soul.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
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