Character and Conduct – 16 July – Argument

PREJUDICE is opinion without judgment.

WHEN a positive Man hath once begun to dispute anything, his Mind is barred up against all Light and better Information.   Opposition provokes him, though there be never so good Ground for it, and he seems to be afraid of nothing more, than lest he should be convinced of the Truth.

LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

IN proportion as we love truth more and victory less, we shall become anxious to know what it is which leads our opponents to think as they do.   We shall begin to suspect that the pertinacity of belief exhibited by them must result from a perception of something we have not perceived.   And we shall aim to supplement the portion of truth we have found with the portion found by them.

HERBERT SPENCER

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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.