William Wordsworth Quotes

An action is the perfection and publication of thought. A right action seems to fill the eye, and to be related to all nature.

Thought and theory must precede all salutary action; yet action is nobler in itself than either thought or theory.

In ethics, prudence is not an important virtue, but in the world it is almost everything.

But principles defended at the expense of pragmatic application is the business of priests.

He who would govern his actions by the laws of virtue must regulate his thoughts by those of reason.

The foundation of morality should not be made dependent on myth nor tied to any authority lest doubt about the myth or about the legitimacy of the authority imperil the foundation of sound judgment and action.

A man who knows all goods and all truths, as many as can be known, but does not shun evils, knows nothing.

Philosophy is fundamentally about how you come to terms with living your life and trying to do it in a wise manner, and, for me, that means decently and compassionately and courageously and so forth.

It still remains true that no justification of virtue will enable a man to be virtuous.

With intellectuals, moral thought is often less a tonic that quickens ethical action than a narcotic that deadens it.

The content of scientific theory itself offers no moral foundation for the personal conduct of life.

Subordination to morality can be slavish or vain or self- interested or resigned or gloomily enthusiastic or thoughtless or an act of despair, just as subordination to a prince can be: in itself it is nothing moral.

Sensibility appears to me to be neither good nor evil in itself, but in its application. Under the influence of Christian principle, it makes saints and martyrs; ill-directed, or uncontrolled, it is a snare, and the source of every temptation; besides, as people cannot get it if it is not given them, to descant on it seems to me as idle as to recommend people to have black eyes or fair complexions.

The end does not justify the means. No one's rights can be secured by the violation of the rights of others.

Whenever one refuses to admit such a self-evident truth, for instance, as that it is wrong to steal, don't argue with him-search him; the reason may be found in his pocket.

Those sciences which govern the morals of mankind, such as Theology and Philosophy, make everything their concern: no activity is so private or so secret as to escape their attention or their jurisdiction.

As a rule, it was the pleasure-haters who became unjust.

After all, why be good? How many will actually believe it of us?

Vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful.

The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.

There is no virtue in curiosity. In fact, it might be the most immoral desire a man can possess.

Moral truth, resting entirely upon the ascertained consequences of actions, supposes a process of observation and reasoning.

Morality binds and blinds.

Truth and right are above utility in all realms of thought and action.

Every man prefers virtue, when there is not some strong incitement to transgress its precepts.