Quotes about Rectitude

The only guide to man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. It is very imprudent to walk through life without this shield, because we are so often mocked by the failure of our hopes and the upsetting of our calculations; but with this shield, however the fates may play, we march always in the ranks of honor.

unfortunately just

For if you really correct your ways and deeds, if you act justly toward one another,

The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm.

The superior man is firm in the right way and not merely firm.

If you can't get to be uncommon through going straight, you'll never get to do it through going crooked. [...] live well and die happy.

One never does wrong by doing right.

Man must have light. He must live in the fierce full constant glare of light, where all shadow will be defined and sharp and unique and personal: the shadow of his own singular rectitude or baseness. All human evils have to come out of obscurity and darkness, where there is nothing to dog man constantly with the shape of his own deformity.

O may I join the choir invisible Of those immortal dead who live again In minds made better by their presence; live In pulses stirred to generosity, In deeds of daring rectitude...

It's because I want you to remember that character counts. You can be the best there ever was at something, but if you have no character, what do you have? On the other hand, if you have very little as far as accomplishments but you have character, well, then you're all right in my book.

Man is born with uprightness. If one loses it, he will be lucky if he escapes with his life.

Good moral character is the first essential in a man.