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Quotes about virtue

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No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation.
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865Lincoln’s Second Annual Message to Congress (1862)
- History
- Honor
With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address (1865)
Fellow-citizens, we can not escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865Lincoln’s Second Annual Message to Congress (1862)
- History
- Responsibility
Virtue is harder to be got than knowledge of the world; and, if lost in a young man, is seldom recovered.
John Locke1632–1704Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693), Sec. 70
- Knowledge
To love truth for truth’s sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues.
John Locke1632–1704Letter to Anthony Collins (29 October 1703)
- Truth & Lies
A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog when you are just as hungry as the dog.
Jack London1876–1916“Confession” in Complete Works of Jack London, Delphi Classics, (2013)
- Charity
He was beaten (he knew that); but he was not broken.
Jack London1876–1916The Call of the Wild (1903), Chapter IIn context
- Character
- Courage
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow1807–1882Kavanagh: A Tale (1849), Chapter 1.
- Character
Sorrow and silence are strong, and patient endurance is godlike.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow1807–1882Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie (1847), Part II, section 1.
- Character
Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow1807–1882Kavanagh: A Tale (1849), Chapter 30.
- Charity
Change is the immediate responsibility of each of us, wherever and however we are standing, in whatever arena we choose.
Audre Lorde1934–1992Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches (1984), “Learning from the 60s”
- Change
- Responsibility
I could not love thee, dear, so much,
Lov’d I not Honour more.
Richard Lovelace1617–1658To Lucasta, Going to the Wars (1649)In context
- Honor
- Love
Everybody has the choice of being a hero or not being a hero every day of their lives … and you can either help somebody, you can be compassionate toward people, you can treat some people with dignity — or not.
George Lucasborn 1944Interview with Bill Moyers for The Mythology of Star Wars (1999)
- Character
- Decisions
We do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds but, having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds.
Martin Luther1483–1546Disputation against Scholastic Theology (1517), Thesis 40
- Theology
Here I stand; I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen!
Martin Luther1483–1546At the Diet of Worms (18 April 1521). The words are in early printed accounts of his reply but not in the record of the session, which has only “God help me, Amen”, so whether he said them is disputed
- Courage
- Faith