The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love read more

The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, "I was wrong".

Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to combat with ourselves.

Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to combat with ourselves.

Often devotion to virtue arises from sated desire.

Often devotion to virtue arises from sated desire.

Virtue by premeditation isn't worth much.

Virtue by premeditation isn't worth much.

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

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

Virtue must be valuable, if men and women of all degrees pretend to have it.

Virtue must be valuable, if men and women of all degrees pretend to have it.

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

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

It is the stain and disgrace of the age to envy virtue, and to be
anxious to crush the read more

It is the stain and disgrace of the age to envy virtue, and to be
anxious to crush the very flower of dignity.
[Lat., Est haec saeculi labes quaedam et macula virtuti invidere,
velle ipsum florem dignitatis infringere.]

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.