The world is upheld by the veracity of good men: they make the earth wholesome. They who lived with them found life glad and nutritious. Life is sweet and tolerable only in our belief in such society.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Reason is the wise man’s guide, example the fool’s.
—Welsh Proverb
Our lives, by acts exemplary, not only win ourselves good names, but do to others give matter for virtuous deeds, by which we live.
—George Chapman (c.1560–1634) English Poet, Playwright
Example has more followers than reason.—We unconsciously imitate what pleases us, and approximate to the characters we most admire.—A generous habit of thought and action carries with it an incalculable influence.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
It is easier to exemplify values than teach them.
—Theodore Hesburgh (1917–2015) American Catholic Educator, Clergyman
So act that your principle of action might safely be made a law for the whole world.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
A good example is like a bell that calls many to church.
—Danish Proverb
There are bad examples that are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
We are in truth, more than half what we are by imitation. The great point is to choose good models and to study them with care.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Setting too good an Example is a Kind of slander seldom forgiven.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Nothing is more contagious than a bad example.
—French Proverb
Nothing is so contagious as example.—Never was any considerable good or evil done without producing it’s like.—We imitate good actions through emulation; and bad ones through the evil of our nature, which shame conceals, but example sets at liberty.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private citizens will occasionally kill theirs.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary.
—Warren Bennis (1925–2014) American Business Academic, Author
Children have more need of models than of critics.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Folks don’t like to have somebody around knowing more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talking right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.
—Harper Lee (1926–2016) American Novelist
No rules exist, and examples are simply life-savers answering the appeals of rules making vain attempts to exist.
—Andre Breton (1896–1966) French Poet, Essayist, Critic
They teach the morals of a whore, and the manners of a dancing master.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Example is more forcible than precept.—People look at my six days in the week to see what I mean on the seventh.
—Richard Cecil
Things to remember: 1) The worth of character; 2) The improvement of talent; 3) The influence of example; 4) The joy of origination; 5) The dignity of simplicity; 6) The success of perseverance.
—Marshall Field (1834–1906) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Philanthropist
Thou canst not rebuke in children what they see practised in thee.—Till reason be ripe, examples direct more than precepts.—Such as is thy behavior before thy children’s faces, such is theirs behind thy back.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Example is leadership.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Illustrious examples engross, prejudice, and intimidate. They engross our attention, and so prevent a due inspection of ourselves; they prejudice our judgment in favor of their abilities, and so lessen the sense of our own; and they intimidate us with the
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
The presence of a noble nature, generous in its wishes, ardent in its charity, changes the lights for us: we begin to see things again in their larger, quieter masses, and to believe that we too can be seen and judged in the wholeness of our character.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Human models are more vivid and more persuasive than explicit moral commands.
—Daniel J. Boorstin (1914–2004) American Historian, Academic, Attorney, Writer
We are all of us more or less echoes, repeating involuntarily the virtues, the defects, the movements, and the characters of those among whom we live.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
A man who lives right, and is right, has more power in his silence than another has by his words.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears.—The effect of precepts is, therefore, slow and tedious, while that of examples is summary and effectual.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher