Edward Everett Quotes

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

Public esteem is the recompense of honest men.

Never suppose that in any possible situation or under any circumstances that it is best for you to do a dishonorable thing however slightly so it may appear to you... Encourage all your virtuous dispositions, and exercise them whenever an opportunity arises, being assured that they will gain strength by exercise ... and that exercise will make them habitual.

It is impossible to deny that dishonest men often grow rich and famous, becoming powerful in their parish or in parliament. Their portraits grace shop windows; and they live and die respected. This success is theirs; yet it is not the success which a noble soul will envy.

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

Very few reputations are gained by unsullied virtue.

You don't luck into integrity. You work at it.

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

Honour is purchased by the deeds we do.

But courage without conduct is the virtue of a robber, or a tyrant.

Experience shows us Wealth unchaperoned by Virtue is never an innocuous neighbor.

Moral excellence has no regard to classes and professions.

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

Nothing of character is really permanent but virtue and personal worth.

Integrity is what you do when no one is watching; its doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to your disadvantage.

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

Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?

One who has accumulated virtue will certainly also possess eloquence; but he who has eloquence doe not necessarily possess virtue.

Good actions ennoble us, and we are the sons of our deeds.

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.

For he who is honest is noble, Whatever his fortunes or birth.

Virtue is nothing but an act of loving that which is to be beloved, and that act is prudence, from whence not to be removed by constraint is fortitude; not to be allured by enticements is temperance; not to be diverted by pride is justice.

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