Quotes about Character

When simplicity of character and the sovereignty of ideas is broken up by the prevalence of secondary desires, the desire of riches, of pleasure, of power, and of praise,—and duplicity and falsehood take place of simplicity and truth, the power over nature as an interpreter of the will, is in a degree lost; new imagery ceases to be created, and old words are perverted to stand for things which are not; a paper currency is employed, when there is no bullion in the vaults. In

All writing is by the grace of God. People do not deserve to have good writing, they are so pleased with bad. In these sentences that you show me, I can find no beauty, for I see death in every clause and every word. There is a fossil or a mummy character which pervades this book. The best sepulchers, the vastest catacombs, Thebes and Cairo, Pyramids, are sepulchers to me. I like gardens and nurseries. Give me initiative, spermatic, prophesying, man-making words.

Nature magically suits the man to his fortunes, by making these the fruit of his character.

Character teaches above our wills. Men imagine that they communicate their virtue or vice only by overt actions, and do not see that virtue or vice emit a breath every moment.

The good are befriended even by weakness and defect. As no man had ever a point of pride that was not injurious to him so no man had ever a defect that was not somewhat made useful to him. ...Every man in his lifetime needs to thank his faults...

Men of character are the conscience of the society to which they belong.

We have the same interest in condition and character. We honor the rich, because they have externally the freedom, power, and grace which we feel to be proper to man, proper to us.

When an artist runs out of inspiration or a scholar wearies of books, they always have the ability to live. Character is more important than intellect. Life is primary; our thoughts about it are secondary.

The antidote to this abuse of formal government, is, the influence of private character, the growth of the Individual.

We call it the moral sentiment. As we are, so we do; and as we do, so it is done to us; we are the builders of our fortunes.

The Hero is not fed on sweets Daily his own heart he eats

Real gold fears no fire