Nathan Hale Quotes

Piety is the most solid goodness, and the vilest of what is evil is vice.

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.

It is the function of vice to keep virtue within reasonable bounds.

I have nowhere claimed nor even implied that unbelief is a guarantee of good conduct or even an indicator of it.

Virtue has a veil, vice a mask.

A portion of mankind take pride in their vices and pursue their purpose; many more waver between doing what is right and complying with what is wrong.

Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.

There were times when I was tempted to do wrong, and could have went that way. But I knew it wasn't for me. I was told enough times that it catches up with you, and I believe it.

It is not easy to do something good, but it is extremely difficult to do something bad.

In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice.

True virtue is life under the direction of reason.

If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?

Nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right.

Men have the power of thinking that they may avoid sin.

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

Is it not enough to know the evil to shun it? If not, we should be sincere enough to admit that we love evil too well to give it up.

'Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.

Let the professors of Christianity recommend their religion by deeds of benevolence - by Christian meekness - by lives of temperance and holiness.

He that would be angry and sin not, must not be angry with anything but sin.

All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.

Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.

I neither drink nor smoke, because my schoolmaster impressed upon me three cardinal virtues; cleanliness in person, cleanliness in mind; temperance.

Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.

Here's a rule I recommend: Never practice two vices at once.

All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal or fattening.