Georgette Heyer Quotes

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.

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

Prudence is a quality incompatible with vice, and can never be effectively enlisted in its cause.

How sternly we reproach virtue for its failings, how indulgent we are to the better qualities of vice!

The just man walks in his integrity

The virtuous will be sure to speak uprightly; but those whose speech is upright may not be virtuous.

Hypocrisy is an homage that vice renders to virtue.

...righteousness [is] always more believable when combined with dreariness.

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

Honesty is nothin' compared to decency.

Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.

There has never been a man mean and at the same time virtuous.

For as much as to understand and to be mighty are great qualities, the higher that they be, they are so much the less to be esteemed if goodness also abound not in the possessor.

Purity in person and in morals is true godliness.

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

Successful and fortunate crime is called virtue.

Elegance is inferior to virtue.

It is almost impossible to imagine that any one could be so insensible to the high morality of Mr. Mill's character as to suggest to him any course of conduct that was not entirely upright and consistent.

The integrity of men is to be measured by their conduct, not by their professions.

No one can be good for long if goodness is not in demand.

I have friends and family that are filled with massive amounts of integrity. And it shouldn't be an oddity.

Virtue is the truest nobility.

The virtue of some people consists wholly in condemning the vices in others.

One should judge a man mainly from his depravities. Virtues can be faked. Depravities are real.

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.