Motivational Quotes

Virtue

The only virtue a character needs to possess between hardcovers, even if he bears a real person's name, is vitality: if he comes to life in our imaginations, he passes the test.

- Vizinczey, Stephen

Best Quotes about Virtue

It is as hard to satirize well a man of distinguished vices, as to praise well a man of distinguished virtues.

Swift, Jonathan

Few people have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder.

Washington, George

The highest virtue found in the tropics is chastity, and in the colder regions, temperance.

Bovee, Christian Nevell

From Obedience and submission comes all our virtues, and all sin is comes from self-opinion.

Montaigne, Michel Eyquem De

The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.

Plato

Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.

Shaw, George Bernard

Virtue is like health: the harmony of the whole man.

Carlyle, Thomas

It is easy enough to be virtuous When nothing tempts you to stray; When without or within No voice of sin Is luring your soul away. But it is only a negative virtue until it is tried by fire. For the soul that is worth the treasures of the earth is the soul that resists desire.

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler

A virtue to be serviceable must, like gold, be alloyed with some commoner, but more durable alloy.

Butler, Samuel

10.

The first time you see Winston Churchill you see all his faults and the rest of your life you spend discovering his virtues.

Lytton, Lady Constance

11.

People who are in a fortunate position always attribute virtue to what makes them so happy.

Galbraith, John Kenneth

12.

Virtue rejects facility to be her companion. She requires a craggy, rough and thorny way.

Montaigne, Michel Eyquem De

13.

You are a man, not God; you are human, not an angel. How can you expect to remain always in a constant state of virtue, when this was not possible even for an angel of Heaven, nor for the first man in the Garden?

Kempis, Thomas

14.

Virtuous people are simply those who have not been tempted sufficiently, because they live in a vegetative state, or because their purposes are so concentrated in one direction that they have not had the leisure to glance around them.

Duncan, Isadora

15.

Virtue is reason which has become energy.

Schlegel, Friedrich

16.

With virtue you can't be entirely poor; without virtue you can't really be rich.

Proverb, Chinese

17.

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.

Diderot, Denis

18.

Unless the reformer can invent something which substitutes attractive virtues for attractive vices, he will fail.

Lippmann, Walter

19.

Even virtue is fairer when it appears in a beautiful person.

Virgil

20.

But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints. [Ephesians 5:3]

Bible

21.

Purity is the feminine, truth the masculine of honor.

Hare, David

22.

The glory that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal.

Sallust

23.

The person who talks most of his own virtue is often the least virtuous.

Nehru, Jawaharlal

24.

We do not place especial value on the possession of a virtue until we notice its total absence in our opponent.

Nietzsche, Friedrich

25.

I used to be snow white, but I drifted.

West, Mae

26.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. [Galatians 5:23, 24]

Bible

27.

Most virtue is a demand for greater seduction.

Barney, Natalie Clifford

28.

Nothing in our times has become so unattractive as virtue.

Dahlberg, Edward

29.

I have never seen a man as fond of virtue as of women.

Confucius

30.

Virtue has its own reward, but no sales at the box office.

West, Mae

31.

Mona Lisa is the only beauty who went through history and retained her reputation.

Rogers, Will

32.

Wickedness is always easier than virtue, for it takes a short cut to everything.

Johnson, Samuel

33.

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

Confucius

34.

Sell not virtue to purchase wealth.

Proverb, English

35.

Virtuous and vicious everyone must be; few in extremes, but all in degree.

Pope, Alexander

36.

Virtue is simply happiness, and happiness is a by-product of function. You are happy when you are functioning.

Burroughs, William S.

37.

If we've learned anything in the past quarter century, it is that we cannot federalize virtue.

Bush, George

38.

The wise man applauds he who he thinks most virtuous; the rest of the world applauds the wealthy.

Johnson, Samuel

39.

The deadliest foe to virtue would be complete self-knowledge.

Bradley, Francis H.

40.

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.

Jung, Carl

41.

Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.

Jordan, David Starr

42.

Virtue craves a steep and thorny path.

Montaigne, Michel Eyquem De

43.

If we had to seek virtue outside of ourselves, that would assuredly be difficult; but as it is within us, it suffices to avoid bad thoughts and to keep our souls turned toward the Lord.

Philokalia

44.

Some virtues are only seen in affliction and others only in prosperity.

Addison, Joseph

45.

Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience.

Smith, Adam

46.

A homely face and no figure have aided many women heavenward.

Antrim, Minna

47.

Virtue is the strongest shield.

Motto

48.

If you can be well without health, you may be happy without virtue.

Burke, Edmund

49.

There are in every man, always, two simultaneous allegiances, one to God, the other to Satan. Invocation of God, or Spirituality, is a desire to climb higher; that of Satan, or animality, is delight in descent.

Baudelaire, Charles

50.

All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous.

Murdoch, Iris