H. L. Mencken Quotes

Character is one of most precious parts of you. You can't get involved in things that will damage your character.

Sir, the gentleman soils the spot he stands on.

People of noble character are afraid of keeping friendship with dishonorable people. But people of discreditable character consider friendship with the dishonorable as a blood relationship.

This world is always working against a sense of honor, cleanliness, integrity.

When the sacredness of one's word is matched in the attributes of his character throughout, all that constitutes a man, then we find that there is something in a man's life greater than his occupation or his achievements; grander than acquisition or wealth; higher than genius; more enduring than fame.

I suspect that with men like General Petraeus, where honor means something - losing your life is secondary to losing your honor.

Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character.

I thank God that I left office the same way I came in: with integrity.

I'm more interested in being good than being famous.

Character is the indelible mark that determines the only true value of all people and all their work.

If a man suffers ill, let it be without shame; for this is the only profit when we are dead. You will never say a good word about deeds that are evil and disgraceful.

I don't know what a scoundrel is like, but I know what a respectable man is like, and it's enough to make one's flesh creep.

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.

No amount of ability is of the slightest avail without honor.

I would not do anything to besmirch my reputation any further than it has already been.

Let them hate me, provided they respect my conduct.

I may be revered or defamed and decried; But I tried to live my life right.

Character is property. It is the noblest of possessions.

I've dodged bullets but there's no scandal in my life.

More precious is want with honesty than wealth with infamy.

I try to keep my integrity. I don't want to be in 'Hello!' or on 'Celebrity Big Brother.'

Character is better than ancestry, and personal conduct is of more importance than the highest.

It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.

He who can live in infamy is unworthy of life.