Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher.

Vice may be learnt, even without a teacher.

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.

Our faith comes in moments; our vice is habitual.

Our faith comes in moments; our vice is habitual.

The willing contemplation of vice is vice.

The willing contemplation of vice is vice.

We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke straps our vice.

We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke straps our vice.

A vice is a failure of desire.

A vice is a failure of desire.

Ill habits gather by unseen degrees,As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.

Ill habits gather by unseen degrees,As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.

Ne'er blush'd, unless, in spreading vice's snares,
She blunder'd on some virtue unawares.

Ne'er blush'd, unless, in spreading vice's snares,
She blunder'd on some virtue unawares.

The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to plague us.

The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to plague us.