James Fenimore Cooper Quotes

Character is in turn the enduring source of virtue. It stands by itself and excites admiration in others. It is not obedience to authority, and while it is often consistent with and reinforced by religious belief, it is not piety.

The only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.

Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.

Great and good are seldom the same man.

You can know a person is a good person or a bad person by who they are, not by what they look like.

To keep your character intact you cannot stoop to filthy acts. It makes it easier to stoop the next time.

Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.

The character of a people may be ruined by charity.

In life we shall find many men that are great, and some that are good, but very few men that are both great and good.

You just couldn't be in George Romney's presence without some of his goodness and integrity wearing off on you.

I really don't care with whom you sleep. I just care what kind of a decent human being you are.

The just man walks in his integrity

It is by doing good that we become good.

Prosperity is a more refined and severer test of character than adversity as one hour of summer sunshine produces greater corruption than the longest winter day.

He is good and wise who always speaks the truth, acts on the dictates of virtue, and tries to make others good and happy.

Indulgence in frivolous speech not only reveals one's lack of moral character, but it deprives him of good qualities also.

To do evil for good is human corruption; to do good for good is civil retribution; but to do good for evil is Christian perfection. Though this be not the grace of nature, it is the nature of grace.

Character is a quality that embodies many important traits, such as integrity, courage, perseverance, confidence and wisdom. Unlike your fingerprints that you are born with and can't change, character is something that you create within yourself and must take responsibility for changing

We manifest character when self-sacrifice for the sake of our principles becomes more important than compromise for the sake of popularity.

He, who practices right, but in the hope of acquiring great renown, is very near to vice.

That which is selfish is immoral, and that which is unselfish is moral.

Virtue, once bragged about, once you pride yourself upon it, ceases to be such.

Good moral character is the first essential in a man.