Human nature is pretty well balanced; for every lacking virtue there is a rough substitute that will serve at a pinch--as cunning is the wisdom of the unwise, and ferocity the courage of the coward.
Interpretation
Human beings compensate for their shortcomings with alternative qualities.
This quote suggests that every virtue that a person might lack is often balanced by a substitute quality that can fulfill a similar purpose, albeit in a less noble or commendable way. For instance, someone who lacks wisdom may resort to cunning to navigate challenges, while a person lacking true courage might display ferocity to cover their fear. This reflects the nuanced and complex nature of human behavior.
In practice
This quote could be used during a discussion on personality traits at a psychology seminar.
PALM, n. A species of tree . . . of which the familiar "itching palm" ("Palma hominis") is most widely distributed . . . . This noble vegetable exudes a kind of invisible gum, which may be detected by applying to the bark a piece of gold or silver.
Indigestion: A disease which the patient and his friends frequently mistake for deep religious conviction and concern for the salvation of mankind. As the simple Red Man of the Western Wild put it, with, it must be confessed, a certain force: 'Plenty well, no pray; big belly ache, heap God.'
Disobey n:To celebrate with an appropriate ceremony the maturity of a command
NOUMENON, n. That which exists, as distinguished from that which merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon. The noumenon is a bit difficult to locate; it can be apprehended only by a process of reasoning - which is a phenomenon.
PARDON, v. To remit a penalty and restore to the life of crime. To add to the lure of crime the temptation of ingratitude.
Kiss. n. A word invented by the poets as a rhyme for "bliss".
In whatever country you live, however young or inadequate you feel, or however aged or limited you see yourself as being, I testify you are individually loved of God, you are central to the meaning of His work, and you are cherished and prayed for by the presiding officers of His Church. The personal value, the sacred splendor of every one of you, is the very reason there is a plan for salvation and exaltation.
I know ours is a world made by men for men, their dictatorship is so ancient it even extends to language.
But shall we wear these glories for a day? Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?
In truth, there is no rational argument for guns in this society. This is no longer a frontier nation in which people hunt their own food. It is a crowded, overwhelmingly urban country in which letting people have access to guns is a continuing disaster.
The world is God's language to us.
There are two great gifts which God, in his love for man, has granted from on high: the priesthood and the imperial dignity.
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