If you must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson, hold yourself up as a warning and read more

If you must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson, hold yourself up as a warning and not as an example.

He who should teach men to die, would at the same time teach them
to live.

He who should teach men to die, would at the same time teach them
to live.

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.

Men think they may justly do that for which they have a
precedent.
[Lat., Quod exemplo fit, id read more

Men think they may justly do that for which they have a
precedent.
[Lat., Quod exemplo fit, id etiam jure fieri putant.]

Content to follow when we lead the way.

Content to follow when we lead the way.

I tread in the footsteps of illustrious men . . . in receiving
from the people the sacred trust read more

I tread in the footsteps of illustrious men . . . in receiving
from the people the sacred trust confided to my illustrious
predecessor.

As a neighboring funeral terrifies sick misers, and fear obliges
them to have some regard for themselves; so, the read more

As a neighboring funeral terrifies sick misers, and fear obliges
them to have some regard for themselves; so, the disgrace of
others will often deter tender minds from vice.
[Lat., Avidos vicinum funus ut aegros
Exanimat, mortisque metu sibi parcere cogit;
Sic teneros animos aliena opprobria saepe
Absterrent vitiis.]

The people are fashioned according to the example of their kings;
and edicts are of less power than the read more

The people are fashioned according to the example of their kings;
and edicts are of less power than the life of their ruler.
[Lat., Componitur orbis
Regis ad exemplum; nec sic inflectere sensus
Humanos edicta valent, quam vita regentis.]

The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set read more

The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set a bad example