Nicolas Chamfort Quotes

When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are.

There is no real excellence in all of this world which can be separated from right living.

To do nothing evil is good; to wish nothing evil is better.

There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

Be virtuous and you will be vicious.

It is a fine thing to be honest, but it is also very important to be right.

In the world in which we live, truth is an ancillary virtue, but it shouldn't be.

Virtue is harmony.

The just man walks in his integrity

Prosperity seldom chooses the side of the virtuous.

The only word for goodness is goodness, and it is not enough.

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.

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

Righteousness alone can exalt them [America] as a nation. Reader! Whoever thou art, remember this, and in thy sphere practice virtue thyself and encourage it in others.

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

The whole truth is generally the ally of virtue; a half-truth is always the ally of some vice.

ATHENA: You wish to be called righteous rather than act right. [...] I say, wrong must not win by technicalities.

Unfortunately for the betterment of mankind it is not always the fair-minded who are in the right.

Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Every night I go over what I did in the day, in ethical or moral terms. Have I treated people properly? Did I tell the truth?

Let us be true: this is the highest maxim of art and of life, the secret of eloquence and of virtue, and of all moral authority.

Successful and fortunate crime is called virtue.

To do no evil is good, to intend none better.

Moralistic is not moral. And as for truth - well, it's like brown - it's not in the spectrum. Truth is so generic.