Goodness

"Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head; And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in every thing."

"How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world."

"It is quite useless to declare that all men are born free if you deny that they are born good. Guarantee a man's goodness and his liberty will take care of itself. To guarantee his freedom on condition that you approve of his moral character is formally to abolish all freedom whatsoever, as every man's liberty is at the mercy of a moral indictment which any fool can trump up against everyone who violates custom, whether as a prophet or as a rascal."

"People aren't either wicked or noble. They're like chef's salads, with good things and bad things chopped and mixed together in a vinaigrette of confusion and conflict."

"Nothing can harm a good man, either in life or after death."

"For he that is a good man, is three quarters of his way towards the being a good Christian, wheresoever he lives, or whatsoever he is called."

"It is not so important that many should be good as you, as that there be some absolute goodness somewhere; for that will leaven the whole lump."

"The touchstone of goodness is to own one's defeat even to inferiors."

"One may slain every goodness and yet escape, but no escape for one who slain gratitude."

"If goodness has causes, it is not goodness; if it has effects, a reward, it is not goodness either. So goodness is outside the chain of cause and effect."

"Every person has only one purpose: to find perfection in goodness. Therefore, only that knowledge is necessary which leads to this."

"To be good and lead a good life means to give to others more than one takes from them."

"I longed with all my soul to be good, but I was young; I had passions and I was alone, completely alone in my search for goodness. Every time I tried to express my innermost desires—a wish to be morally good—I met with contempt and scorn, and as soon as I gave in to vile passions I was praised and encouraged. Ambition, lust for power, self-interest, lechery, pride, anger, revenge, were all respected qualities. As I yielded to these passions I became like my elders and I felt that they were pleased with me."

"In Donald's mind, even acknowledging an inevitable threat would indicate weakness. Taking responsibility would open him up to blame. Being a hero- being good- is impossible for him."

"What is good looking, as Horace Smith remarks, but looking good? Be good, be womanly, be gentle, — generous in your sympathies, heedful of the well-being of all around you; and, my word for it, you will not lack kind words of admiration."

"For avoiding slavery to the belly or to sleep and incontinence, is there, think you, any more effective specific than the possession of other and greater pleasures, which are delightful not only to enjoy, but also because they arouse hopes of lasting benefit? ... Do you think then that out of all this thinking there comes anything so pleasant as the thought: ‘I am growing in goodness and I am making better friends'? And that, I may say, is my constant thought."

"They live best, I think, who strive best to become as good as possible: and the pleasantest life is theirs who are conscious that they are growing in goodness."

"Human nature is evil; its goodness derives from conscious activity. Now it is human nature to be born with a fondness for profit. Indulging this leads to contention and strife, and the sense of modesty and yielding with which one was born disappears. One is born with feelings of envy and hate, and, by indulging these, one is led into banditry and theft, so that the sense of loyalty and good faith with which he was born disappears. One is born with the desires of the ears and eyes and with a fondness for beautiful sights and sounds, and, by indulging these, one is led to licentiousness and chaos, so that the sense of ritual, rightness, refinement, and principle with which one was born is lost. Hence, following human nature and indulging human emotions will inevitably lead to contention and strife, causing one to rebel against one’s proper duty, reduce principle to chaos, and revert to violence. Therefore one must be transformed by the example of a teacher and guided by the way of ritual and rightness before one will attain modesty and yielding, accord with refinement and ritual, and return to order."

"Whatever any one does or says, I must be good."

"What good I see humbly I seek to do, And live obedient to the law, in trust That what will come, and must come, shall come well."

"Because indeed there was never law, or sect, or opinion, did so much magnify goodness, as the Christian religion doth."

"For the cause that lacks assistance, The wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that I can do."

"The good he scorned Stalked off reluctant, like an ill-used ghost, Not to return; or if it did, in visits Like those of angels, short and far between."

"One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in Liquidity."

"No good Book, or good thing of any sort, shows its best face at first."

"Ergo hoc proprium est animi bene constituti, et lætari bonis rebus, et dolere contrariis."

"Homines ad deos nulla re propius accedunt, quam salutem hominibus dando."

"That good diffused may more abundant grow."

"Doing good, Disinterested good, is not our trade."

"Now, at a certain time, in pleasant mood, He tried the luxury of doing good."

"Who soweth good seed shall surely reap; The year grows rich as it groweth old, And life's latest sands are its sands of gold!"

"Look around the habitable world, how few Know their own good, or knowing it, pursue."

"If you wish to be good, first believe that you are bad."

"For all their luxury was doing good."

"Ein guter Mensch, in seinem dunkeln Drange, Ist sich des rechten Weges wohl bewusst."

"And learn the luxury of doing good."

"Impell'd with steps unceasing to pursue Some fleeting good, that mocks me with the view, That, like the circle bounding earth and skies, Allures from far, yet, as I follow, flies."

"If goodness leade him not, yet wearinesse May tosse him to my breast."

"Vir bonus est quis? Qui consulta patrum, qui leges juraque servat."

"God whose gifts in gracious flood Unto all who seek are sent, Only asks you to be good And is content."

"He was so good he would pour rose-water on a toad."

"Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?"

"How near to good is what is fair!"

"Rari quippe boni: numero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum portæ, vel divitis ostia Nili."

"Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them all day long; And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand, sweet song."

"Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever; Do lovely things, not dream them, all day long; And so make Life, and Death, and that For Ever, One grand sweet song."

"Weiss Dass alle Länder gute Menschen tragen."

"Segnius homines bona quam mala sentiunt."

"The soil out of which such men as he are made is good to be born on, good to live on, good to die for and to be buried in."

"Si veris magna paratur Fama bonis, et si successu nuda remoto Inspicitur virtus, quicquid laudamus in ullo Majorum, fortuna fuit."