Jacques Benigne Bossuet Quotes

One's sense of honor is the only thing that does not grow old, and the last pleasure, when one is worn out with age, is not, as the poet said, making money, but having the respect of one's fellow men.

An honest man here lies at rest, the friend of man the friend of truth the friend of age and guide of youth. Few hearts like his with virtue warmed, few heads with knowledge so informed. If there's another world, he lives in bliss. If there is none, he made the best of this.

There is a true glory and a true honor: the glory of duty done--the honor of the integrity of principle.

He who, in questions of right, virtue, or duty, sets himself above all ridicule, is truly great, and shall laugh in the end with truer mirth than ever he was laughed at.

The most tragic thing in the world is a man of genius who is not a man of honor.

There is no man but for his own interest hath an obligation to be honest. There may be sometimes temptations to be otherwise; but, all cards cast up, he shall find it the greatest ease, the highest profit, the best pleasure, the most safety, and the noblest fame, to hold the horns of this altar, which, in all assays, can in himself protect him.

Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness and yet live, his escape from death is mere good fortune.

I call God to witness that as a private person I have done nothing unbeseeming an honest man, nor, as I bear the place of a public man, have I done anything unworthy of my place.

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

Live the principles and the values. Almost nobody in America is living them. Learn the truth. Live the life of our founders. Be a decent, righteous, forthright honest man or woman.

There is hardly that person to be found who is not more concerned for the reputation of wit and sense, than honesty and virtue.

Our probity is not less at the mercy of fortune than our property.

We have next to consider the formal definition of virtue.

By themselves, character and integrity do not accomplish anything. But their absence faults everything else.

Worthy of honor is he who does no injustice, and more than twofold honor, if he not only does no injustice himself, but hinders others from doing any.

... men of highest genius have been too frequently of extremely shaky morals.

In the end, your integrity is all you've got.

Success gives the character of honesty to some classes of wickedness.

He cannot be vertuous that is not rigorous.

I have seen men incapable of the sciences, but never any incapable of virtue.

A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice.

Virtue and decency are so nearly related that it is difficult to separate them from each other but in our imagination.

There is no greater wealth than Virtue,And no greater loss than to forget it.

If throughout your life you abstain from murder, theft, fornication, perjury, blasphemy, and disrespect toward your parents, church, and your king, you are conventionally held to deserve moral admiration even if you have never done a single kind, generous or useful action. This very inadequate notion of virtue is an outcome of taboo morality, and has done untold harm.