Quotes about Virtue

Virtue is a habit of the mind, consistent with nature and moderation and reason.

Justice consists in doing no injury to men decency in giving them no offense.

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.

For there is but one essential justice which cements society, and one law which establishes this justice. This law is right reason, which is the true rule of all commandments and prohibitions. Whoever neglects this law, whether written or unwritten, is necessarily unjust and wicked.

What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.

It is folly to abstain all day long from food, but fail to abstain from sin and selfishness.

True freedom is not the liberty to do anything we please, but the liberty to do what we ought; and it is genuine liberty because doing what we ought now pleases us.

True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what's right.

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave; he that is evil is a slave, though he be a king.

He takes the greatest ornament from friendship, who takes modesty from it. [Lat., Maximum ornamentum amicitiae tollit, qui ex ea tollit verecudiam.]