Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.

Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.

My dear dear lord,
The purest treasure mortal times afford
Is spotless reputation. That away,
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My dear dear lord,
The purest treasure mortal times afford
Is spotless reputation. That away,
Man are but gilded loam or painted clay.

Good will, like a good name, is got by many actions, and lost by one.

Good will, like a good name, is got by many actions, and lost by one.

For a strolling damsel a doubtful reputation bears.
[Ger., Denn ein wanderndes Madchen ist immer von schwankendem
Rufe.]

For a strolling damsel a doubtful reputation bears.
[Ger., Denn ein wanderndes Madchen ist immer von schwankendem
Rufe.]

Better to die than to live on with a bad reputation.

Better to die than to live on with a bad reputation.

I wrote the story myself. It's all about a girl who lost her reputation but never missed it.

I wrote the story myself. It's all about a girl who lost her reputation but never missed it.

Convey a libel in a frown.
And wink a reputation down!

Convey a libel in a frown.
And wink a reputation down!

It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.

It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll read more

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.