Georg C. Lichtenberg Quotes

Virtue knows to a farthing what it has lost by not having been vice.

The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.

The better one is morally the less aware they are of their virtue.

Virtue comes by nature, learning, and practice, and thanks to virtue, all of the aforesaid may deserve approval.

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.

An honest man is strange when he is among dishonest men, but it is a good kind of strangeness.

The great man does not think beforehand of his words that they may be sincere, nor of his actions that they may be resolute- he simply speaks and does what is right.

Virtue is an inner strength. It expands your nature.

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

The ordeal of virtue is to resist all temptation to evil.

The walls of that grand edifice called a good character have to be worked at during life.

The strength of a man's virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts.

Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience.

True virtue is life under the direction of reason.

When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing, those people don't exist because you've crushed anyone's desire to do the right thing with all these incentives.

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

Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good.

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.

Virtue is defined to be mediocrity, of which either extreme is vice.

Virtue is a habit of the mind, consistent with nature and moderation and reason.

The man of life upright has a guiltless heart, free from all dishonest deeds or thought of vanity.

To keep your character intact you cannot stoop to filthy acts. It makes it easier to stoop the next time.

No one can harm the man who does himself no wrong.

Virtue is a positive quality developed by taking a firm stand for the right in temptation, or by the suffering endured in consequence of wrongdoing.

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