John Donne Quotes

Filth and old age, I'm sure you will agree, are powerful wardens upon chastity.

I'm not promiscuous by nature.

If you would be chaste, you must be temperate.

The great majority of people in England and America are modest, decent and pure-minded and the amount of virgins in the world today is stupendous.

Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.

I call not that virginity a virtue, which resideth onely in the bodies integrity; much less if it be with a purpose of perpetually keeping it: for then it is a most inhumane vice. - But I call that Virginity a virtue which is willing and desirous to yield it self upon honest and lawfull terms, when just reason requireth; and until then, is kept with a modest chastity of body and mind.

What we take for virtue is often but an assemblage of various ambitions and activities that chance, or our own astuteness, have arranged in a certain manner; and it is not always out of courage or purity that men are brave, and women chaste.

There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth ... lust. When he is strong ... quarrelsomeness. When he is old ... covetousness.

The ordeal of virtue is to resist all temptation to evil.

An untempted woman cannot boast of her chastity.

Of all the sexual aberrations, chastity is the strangest.

Chastity - the most unnatural of all the sexual perversions.

Ladies, just a little more virginity, if you don't mind.

Moral character has now some influence in our elections, but not that place which it deserves. The law of public opinion excludes confirmed sots, and persons judicially convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors against the State; but it ought to render the election of all profane swearers, notorious Sabbath breakers, seducers, slanderers, prodigals and riotous persons, as well as the advocates of dueling, impracticable.

The moral character of the Indians was (if I may be allowed the expression) uncontaminated. Their fidelity was perfect, and became proverbial. They were strictly honest; they despised deception and falsehood; and chastity was held in high 'veneration, and a violation of it was considered sacrilege. They were temperate in their desires, moderate in their passions, and candid and honorable in the expression of their sentiments, on every subject of importance

Virtue - even attempted virtue - brings light; indulgence brings fog.

To virginity is awarded the tribute of the highest beauty

If I had to last 20 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair.

Modesty and chastity are twins

Cato requested old men not to add the disgrace of wickedness to old age, which was accompanied with many other evils.

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo (Give me chastity and continence, but not just yet)!

A man is not to aim at innocence, any more than he is to aim at hair, but he is to keep it.

Temperance is the nurse of chastity.

Sin is a dangerous toy in the hands of the virtuous. It should be left to the congenitally sinful, who know when to play with it and when to let it alone.