Moderation

A really great man is known by three signs: generosity in the design, humanity in the execution, moderation in success.

The cardinal doctrine of a fanatic's creed is that his enemies are the enemies of God.

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for, perfection is God's business.

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

Moderation is the silken thread running through the pearl chain of all virtues.

Perfection is fit for a stone. It may appeal to a wretchedly tired soul in dire need of a rest. Dead, however, would this soul not adopt the opposite stance after a lengthy bout of mineral tranquility? Would it not dream of having a second chance to live and love life?

Each day look into your conscience and amend your faults; if you fail in this duty you will be untrue to the Knowledge and Reason that are within you. Keep a watchful eye over yourself as if you were your own enemy; for you cannot learn to govern yourself, unless you first learn to govern your own passions and obey the dictates of your conscience.

The less justified a man is in claiming excellence for his own self, the more ready is he to claim all excellence for his nation, his religion, his race or his holy cause.

The coward calls the brave man rash, the rash man calls him a coward.

There is only one step
from fanaticism to barbarism.

Extremism means borders beyond which life ends, and a passion for extremism, in art and in politics, is a veiled longing for death.

And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women?  It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will; it is not freedom to do as one likes.  That is the denial of liberty, and leads straight to its overthrow.  A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only a savage few; as we have learned to our sorrow.  

. . .   The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeds to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weights their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded.

My Master speaks only when he has something to say, laughs only when happy, takes only what is needed.  This way he angers nobody. 

The higher the rank I attain, the more humbly I behave.  The greater my power, the less I exercise it.  The richer my wealth, the more I give away.  Thus I avoid envy, spite and misery.

Do as a thirsty person drinking from a river.  He drinks happily enough, but does not covet the voluminous flow . . . This is how the gentleman exercises his mind for he regards rank and position as a tumor and material wealth as dirt and dust.  What is the use of wealth and honor to him?

A little of what you fancy does you good.

The only thing worse for a child than getting everything his heart desires
is getting nothing his heart desires.

A well-governed appetite is a great part of liberty.

There are many shining qualities on the mind of man; but none so useful as discretion. It is this which gives a value to all the rest, and sets them at work in their proper places, and turns them to the advantage of their possessor. Without it, learning is pedantry; wit, impertinence; virtue itself looks like weakness; and the best parts only qualify a man to be more sprightly in errors, and active to his own prejudice. Though a man has all other perfections and wants discretion, he will be of no great consequence in the world; but if he has this single talent in perfection, and but a common share of others, he may do what he pleases in his station of life.

A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice.

The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.

It is the sign of a great mind to dislike greatness, and prefer things in measure to things in excess.

It is better to rise from life as from a banquet -- neither thirsty nor drunken.

Exactness and neatness in moderation is a virtue, but carried to extremes narrows the mind.

Only action gives life strength, only moderation gives it charm.

Out of moderation a pure happiness springs.