Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cowardice can sometimes prevent us from giving in to our temptations.
In this quote, Mark Twain highlights a paradox where cowardice serves as a protective measure against temptation. He suggests that while there may be many ways to resist temptations, the most reliable way is simply to avoid situations that may lead to them, which is a cowardly, yet effective strategy.
Themes
TemptationCowardiceProtectionWisdomResistance
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal integrity, one might reference Twain's quote to emphasize the importance of self-control.
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