Who has a book of all that monarchs do,
He's more secure to keep it shut than shown;
read more

Who has a book of all that monarchs do,
He's more secure to keep it shut than shown;
For vice repeated is like the wand'ring wind,
Blows dust in others' eye, to spread itself;
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear
To stop the air would hurt them.

Those vices [luxury and neglect of decent manners] are vices of
men, not of the times.
[Lat., Hominum read more

Those vices [luxury and neglect of decent manners] are vices of
men, not of the times.
[Lat., Hominum sunt ista [vitia], non temporum.

Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher.

Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher.

The heart resolves this matter in a trice,
"Men only feel the smart, but not the vice."

The heart resolves this matter in a trice,
"Men only feel the smart, but not the vice."

Every vice makes its guilt the more conspicuous in proportion to
the rank of the offender.
[Lat., Omne read more

Every vice makes its guilt the more conspicuous in proportion to
the rank of the offender.
[Lat., Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se
Crimen habet, quanto major qui peccat habetur.]

Our faith comes in moments; our vice is habitual.

Our faith comes in moments; our vice is habitual.

One big vice in a man is apt to keep out a great many smaller ones.

One big vice in a man is apt to keep out a great many smaller ones.

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we despise all
those who have not a single read more

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we despise all
those who have not a single virtue.

A vice is a failure of desire.

A vice is a failure of desire.