As far as I’m concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
He that has energy enough in his constitution to root out a vice should go a little farther, and try to plant a virtue in its place, otherwise he will have his labor to renew; a strong soil that has produced weeds, may be made to produce wheat with far less difficulty than it would cost to make it produce nothing.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Vices and virtues are of a strange nature, for the more we have, the fewer we think we have
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The only service that you can render God is to give expression to what he is trying to give to the world, through you. The only service you can render God is to make the very most of yourself in order that God may live in you to the utmost of your possibilities.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Of all the thoughts that rise in the mind, the thought ‘I’ is the first thought.
—Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) Indian Hindu Mystic
We are more inclined to regret our virtues than our vices; but only the very honest will admit this.
—Holbrook Jackson (1874–1948) British Journalist, Writer, Publisher
Alas, human vices, however horrible one might imagine them to be, contain the proof (were it only in their infinite expansion) of man’s longing for the infinite; but it is a longing that often takes the wrong route. It is my belief that the reason behind all culpable excesses lies in this depravation of the sense of the infinite.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Think no vice so small that you may commit it, and no virtue so small that you may over look it.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The most fearful characteristic of vice is its irresistible fascination—the ease with which it sweeps away resolution, and wins a man to forget his momentary outlook, and his throb of penitence, in the embrace of indulgence.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
Without enthusiasm, virtue functions not at all, and vice only poorly.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
There will be vice as long as there are men.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
Let them show me a cottage where there are not the same vices of which they accuse the courts.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Vice is like a fury to the vicious mind, And turns delight itself to punishment.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
Vice incapacitates a man from all public duty; it withers the powers of his understanding, and makes his mind paralytic.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
No one gossips about other people’s secret virtues.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The vicious obey their passions as slaves do their masters.
—Diogenes Laertius (f.3rd Century CE) Biographer of the Greek Philosophers
We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
Vice is but a nurse of agonies.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
It is false to say that you are a vicious man, Zoilus; you are not a vicious man, you are vice itself
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
It is a great thing to know our vices.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
Men often abstain from the grosser vices as too coarse and common for their appetites, while the vices that are frosted and ornamented are served up to them as delicacies.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
No man ever arrived suddenly at the summit of vice.
—Juvenal (c.60–c.136 CE) Roman Poet
There is no vice, of which a man can be guilty, no meanness, no shabbiness, no unkindness, which excited so much indignation among his contemporaries, friends and neighbors, as his success. This is the one unpardonable crime, which reason cannot defend, nor [can] humility mitigate.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
Every vice was once a virtue, and may become respectable again, just as hatred becomes respectable in wartime.
—Will Durant (1885–1981) American Historian, Philosopher, Memoirist, Socialist
We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise all those who have not a single virtue.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A ‘No’ uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Vice stings us even in our pleasures, but virtue consoles us even in our pains.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Vice is a creature of such hideous mien… that the more you see it the better you like it.
—Finley Peter Dunne (1867–1936) American Author, Writer, Humorist
I have not a particle of confidence in a man who has no redeeming vices.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A portion of mankind take pride in their vices and pursue their purpose; many more waver between doing what is right and complying with what is wrong.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
[Roark to Keating:] If you want my advice, Peter,” he said at last, “you’ve made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don’t you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?”
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
When I religiously confess myself to myself, I find that the best virtue I have has in it some tincture of vice.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
A society composed of none but the wicked could not exist; it contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction, and, without a flood, would be swept away from the earth by the deluge of its own iniquity. The moral cement of all society is virtue; it unite and preserves, while vice separates and destroys. The good may well be termed the salt of the earth, for where there is no integrity there can be no confidence; and where there is no confidence there can be no unanimity.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
There is more than a morsel of truth in the saying, “He who hates vice hates mankind.”
—William Macneile Dixon (1866–1946) British Author, Academic
Vice repeated is like the wandering wind; blows dust in others’ eyes, to spread itself.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess!
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
What were once vices are the fashion of the day.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The Gods are just, and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Vice—that digs her own voluptuous tomb.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Religions, which condemn the pleasures of sense, drive men to seek the pleasures of power. Throughout history power has been the vice of the ascetic.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Half the vices which the world condemns most loudly have seeds of good in them and require moderated use rather than total abstinence.
—Samuel Butler
One sin doth provoke another.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy, I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
Vices and frailties correct each other, like acids and alkalies. If each vicious man had but one vice, I do not know how the world could go on.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
When Mandeville maintained that private vices were public benefits, he did not calculate the widely destructive influence of bad example. To affirm that a vicious man is only his own enemy is about as wise as to affirm that a virtuous man is only his own friend.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Every vice has its excuse ready.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others… I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur