Character and Conduct – 6 July – Truthfulness

IN VERY truth lying is a hateful and accursed vice.  It is words alone that distinguish us from the brute creation, and knit us to each other.   If we did but feel proper horror of it, and the fearful consequences that spring from such a habit, we would pursue it with fire and sword, and with far more justice than other crimes.   I observe that parents take pleasure in correcting their children for slight faults, which make little impression on the character, and are of no real consequence.   Whereas lying, in my opinion, and obstinacy, though in a less degree, are vices, the rise and progress of which ought to be particularly watched and counteracted;  these grow with their growth, and when once the tongue has got a wrong set, it is impossible to put it straight again.   Whence we see men, otherwise of honourable natures, slaves to this vice.  If falsehood had, like truth, only one face, we should be on more equal terms with it, for we should consider the contrary to what the liar said as certain;  but the reverse of truth has a hundred thousand forms, and is a field of boundless extent.

MONTAIGNE

EVERY violation of truth is not only a sort of suicide in the liar, but is a stab at the health of human society.

EMERSON

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.