He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.

He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.

The Past lives o'er again,
In its effects, and to the guilty spirit
The ever-frowning Present is read more

The Past lives o'er again,
In its effects, and to the guilty spirit
The ever-frowning Present is its image.

Guilty consciences always make people cowards.

Guilty consciences always make people cowards.

There is no future pang
Can deal that justice on the self condemn'd
He deals on his read more

There is no future pang
Can deal that justice on the self condemn'd
He deals on his own soul.

Two souls, alas! reside within my breast, and each withdraws
from and repels its brother.
[Ger., Zwei Seelen read more

Two souls, alas! reside within my breast, and each withdraws
from and repels its brother.
[Ger., Zwei Seelen wohnen, ach! in meiner Brust,
Die eine will sich von der andern trennen.]

They have cheveril consciences that will stretch.

They have cheveril consciences that will stretch.

But at sixteen the conscience rarely gnaws
So much, as when we call our old debts in
read more

But at sixteen the conscience rarely gnaws
So much, as when we call our old debts in
At sixty years, and draw the accounts of evil,
And find a deuced balance with the devil.

Conscience--the only incorruptible thing about us.

Conscience--the only incorruptible thing about us.

Oh, Conscience! Conscience! man's most faithful friend,
Him canst thou comfort, ease, relieve, defend;
But if he read more

Oh, Conscience! Conscience! man's most faithful friend,
Him canst thou comfort, ease, relieve, defend;
But if he will thy friendly checks forego,
Thou art, oh! woe for me, his deadliest foe!