Quotes about Character

The only real people are the people who never existed, and if a novelist is base enough to go to life for his personages he should at least pretend that they are creations, and not boast of them as copies. The justification of a character in a novel is not that other persons are what they are, but that the author is what he is. Otherwise the novel is not a work of art.

Lord Henry had not come in yet. He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.

You can dine with me to-night, Dorian, can't you?" He shook his head. "To-night she is Imogen," he answered, "and to-morrow night she will be Juliet." "When is she Sibyl Vane?" "Never." "I congratulate you.

Or that passion to act a part that sometimes makes us do things finer than we are ourselves?

However, I don't propose to discuss politics, sociology, or metaphysics with you. I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world.

Sincerity is the last refuge of the shallow.

Our behavior may be the most critical factor used by others in their decision to "lend" trust to us, as our actions reflect our character. When we honor our commitments and do what we say we will do, others will be inclined to deposit their trust with us.

Ultimately leadership boils down to a relationship. High-quality relationships are based on trust—trust of one anothers' competence as well as character.

Remember, you can measure the size of a person by what makes him or her angry.

Give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him." But give him a good name—and see what happens!

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.

President Lincoln was a master communicator, and humility was at the heart of all he said.