Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.

Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.

Convey a libel in a frown.
And wink a reputation down!

Convey a libel in a frown.
And wink a reputation down!

I consider him of no account who esteems himself just as the
popular breath may chance to raise him.
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I consider him of no account who esteems himself just as the
popular breath may chance to raise him.
[Ger., Ich halte nichts von dem, der von sich denkt
Wie ihn das Volk vielleicht erheben mochte.]

Reputations, like beavers and cloaks, shall last some people
twice the time of others.

Reputations, like beavers and cloaks, shall last some people
twice the time of others.

Thy deathbed is no lesser than thy land,
Wherein thou liest in reputation sick;
And thou, too read more

Thy deathbed is no lesser than thy land,
Wherein thou liest in reputation sick;
And thou, too careless patient as thou art,
Committ'st thy anointed body to the cure
Of those physicians that first wounded thee.

The worst of me is known, and I can say that I am better than the
reputation I bear.
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The worst of me is known, and I can say that I am better than the
reputation I bear.
[Ger., Das Aergste weiss die Welt von mir, und ich
Kann sagen, ich bin besser als mein Ruf.]

One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.

One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.

Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.

Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll read more

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.