One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.
Honore De BalzacRead
Virtue, perhaps, is nothing more than politeness of soul.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Virtue is defined as being polite and considerate in one's inner character.
In this quote, Honore De Balzac suggests that true virtue is not about grand gestures or overt displays of goodness, but rather about the subtler qualities of kindness and politeness that reflect a person's soul. It implies that the essence of a virtuous person lies in their ability to treat others with respect and courtesy, highlighting the importance of inner character over mere outward actions.
Themes
VirtuePolitenessSoulCharacterKindness
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about ethics in leadership, this quote could emphasize the importance of character.
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Who is to decide which is the grimmer sight: withered hearts, or empty skulls?
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However gross a man may be, the minute he expresses a strong and genuine affection, some inner secretion alters his features, animates his gestures, and colors his voice. The stupidest man will often, under the stress of passion, achieve heights of eloquence, in thought if not in language, and seem to move in some luminous sphere. Goriot's voice and gesture had at this moment the power of communication that characterizes the great actor. Are not our finer feelings the poems of the human will?
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Love is a religion, and its rituals cost more than those of other religions. It goes by quickly and, like a street urchin, it likes to mark its passage by a trail of devastation.
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