As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being honest and fair contributes to true beauty, which should be unchallenged.
This quote from Shakespeare suggests that true beauty is not just about physical appearance, but closely tied to one's character, particularly honesty and fairness. It implies that when a person embodies these virtues, their inner beauty shines through and is recognized, leaving no room for doubt or debate regarding their worth.
Themes
HonestyBeautyFairnessTruthCharacter
In practice
Example use cases
In a keynote speech about integrity in leadership, this quote can emphasize the importance of character over appearance.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.
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Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow.
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Be careful with words, they're dangerous. Be wary of them. They begat either demons or angels. It's up to you to give life to one or the other. Be careful, I tell you, nothing is as dangerous as giving free rein to words
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For truth has such a face and such a mien, as to be loved needs only to be seen.
John DrydenRead