Many Thoughts of Many Minds Part 63

Vice and virtue chiefly imply the relation of our actions to men in this world; sin and holiness rather imply their relation to G.o.d and the other world.--DR. WATTS.

He that has energy enough in his const.i.tution to root out a vice should go a little farther, and try to plant in a virtue in its place, otherwise he will have his labor to renew.--COLTON.

Vices that are familiar we pardon, and only new ones reprehend.

--PUBLIUS SYRUS.

This is the essential evil of vice: it debases a man.--CHAPIN.

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

--POPE.

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

VIRTUE.--Virtue has many preachers, but few martyrs.--HELVETIUS.

Virtue alone is sweet society, It keeps the key to all heroic hearts, And opens you a welcome in them all.

--EMERSON.

The virtue of a man ought to be measured not by his extraordinary exertions, but by his every-day conduct.--PASCAL.

Virtue consisteth of three parts,--temperance, fort.i.tude, and justice.--EPICURUS.

Virtue maketh men on the earth famous, in their graves ill.u.s.trious, in the heavens immortal.--CHILD.

When we pray for any virtue, we should cultivate the virtue as well as pray for it; the form of your prayers should be the rule of your life.--JEREMY TAYLOR.

To be ambitious of true honor, of the true glory and perfection of our natures, is the very principle and incentive of virtue.--SIR P. SIDNEY.

Virtue is everywhere the same, because it comes from G.o.d, while everything else is of men.--VOLTAIRE.

O let us still the secret joy partake, To follow virtue even for virtue's sake.

--POPE.

Well may your heart believe the truths I tell; 'Tis virtue makes the bliss where'er we dwell.

--COLLINS.

The only impregnable citadel of virtue is religion; for there is no bulwark of mere morality which some temptation may not overtop, or undermine and destroy.--SIR P. SIDNEY.

Virtue is not to be considered in the light of mere innocence, or abstaining from harm; but as the exertion of our faculties in doing good.--BISHOP BUTLER.

What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, The soul's calm suns.h.i.+ne, and the heart-felt joy, Is virtue's prize.

--POPE.

Live virtuously, my lord, and you cannot die too soon, nor live too long.--LADY RACHEL RUSSELL.

If you can be well without health, you can be happy without virtue.

--BURKE.

Recommend to your children virtue; that alone can make happy, not gold.--BEETHOVEN.

I would be virtuous for my own sake, though n.o.body were to know it; as I would be clean for my own sake, though n.o.body were to see me.

--SHAFTESBURY.

Know then this truth, enough for man to know, Virtue alone is happiness below.

--POPE.

An effort made with ourselves for the good of others, with the intention of pleasing G.o.d alone.--BERNARDIN DE ST. PIERRE.

Good sense, good health, good conscience, and good fame,--all these belong to virtue, and all prove that virtue has a t.i.tle to your love.--COWPER.

Our virtues live upon our incomes; our vices consume our capital.

--J. PEt.i.t-SENN.

Do not be troubled because you have not great virtues. G.o.d made a million spears of gra.s.s where he made one tree. The earth is fringed and carpeted, not with forests, but with gra.s.ses. Only have enough of little virtues and common fidelities, and you need not mourn because you are neither a hero nor a saint.--BEECHER.

WANT.--How few our real wants, and how vast our imaginary ones!--LAVATER.

We are ruined, not by what we really want, but by what we think we do; therefore never go abroad in search of your wants; if they be real wants, they will come home in search of you; for he that buys what he does not want, will soon want what he cannot buy.--COLTON.

Where necessity ends, curiosity begins; and no sooner are we supplied with everything that nature can command, than we sit down to contrive artificial appet.i.tes.--DR. JOHNSON.

Hundreds would never have known want if they had not first known waste.--SPURGEON.

Constantly choose rather to want less, than to have more.--THOMAS a KEMPIS.

Every one is the poorer in proportion as he has more wants, and counts not what he has, but wishes only what he has not.--MANILIUS.

If any one say that he has seen a just man in want of bread, I answer that it was in some place where there was no other just man.

--ST. CLEMENT.

It is not from nature, but from education and habits, that our wants are chiefly derived.--FIELDING.

WAR.--War will never yield but to the principles of universal justice and love; and these have no sure root but in the religion of Jesus Christ.--CHANNING.

Most of the debts of Europe represent condensed drops of blood.--BEECHER.

Battles are never the end of war; for the dead must be buried and the cost of the conflict must be paid.--JAMES A. GARFIELD.

A wise minister would rather preserve peace than gain a victory, because he knows that even the most successful war leaves nations generally more poor, always more profligate, than it found them.--COLTON.

War is a crime which involves all other crimes.--BROUGHAM.

To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.--WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

War is a terrible trade; but in the cause that is righteous sweet is the smell of powder.--LONGFELLOW.