William Watson Quotes

Those only deserve a monument who do not need one.

Favor and honor sometimes fall more fitly on those who do not desire them.

Men value things in three ways: as useful, as pleasant or sources of pleasure, and as excellent, or as intrinsically admirable or honorable.

All I ever seek from good deeds is a measure of respect.

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Pride perceiving humility honorable, often borrows her cloak.

It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.

Next to excellence is the appreciation of it.

May Honor be given to whom Honor may be due.

If to be venerated for benevolence, if to be admired for talents, if to be esteemed for patriotism, if to be beloved for philanthropy, can gratify the human mind, you must have the pleasing consolation to know that you have not lived in vain.

Let the world admire the supposed wisdom and valor of our great men, Perhaps they may adopt the qualities that have been ascribed to them, and thus good may be done.

No eulogy is due to him who simply does his duty and nothing more.

I wanted to be a hero, then I wanted to be an actor. But always I wanted to be respected as a good human being.

I don't want to just be a great fighter, but also a great man.

Virtue, though clothed in a beggar's garb, commands respect.

Did it ever strike you that goodness is not merely a beautiful thing, but by far the most beautiful thing in the whole world? So that nothing is to be compared for value with goodness; that riches, honor, power, pleasure, learning, the whole world and all in it, are not worth having in comparison with being good; and the utterly best thing for a person is to be good, even though they were never to be rewarded for it.

A deep concern of mine is that leaders in the technology sector have not developed a culture that insists upon courage, honor, duty, and humility - what we might call a culture of virtue.

It's always strange to get an honor from people who are the ones that should be honored.

I always felt the true test of a man's character is how he treats people he can't use.

For he who is honest is noble, Whatever his fortunes or birth.

He was a foe without hate; a friend without treachery; a soldier without cruelty; a victor without oppression, and a victim without murmuring. He was a public officer without vices; a private citizen without wrong; a neighbor without reproach; a Christian without hypocrisy, and a man without guile. He was a Caesar, without his ambition; Frederick, without his tyranny; Napoleon, without his selfishness, and Washington, without his reward.

The superior man is never in anyone's way.

The generous person is always just, and the just who is always generous may, unannounced, approach the throne of heaven.

Virtue, thou in rags, may challenge more than vice set off with all the trim of greatness.

Good deeds are no less good because their object is unworthy.