Character and Conduct – 2 August – Influence

EVEN in ordinary life, contact with nobler natures arouses the feeling of unused power and quickens the consciousness of responsibility.

Bishop WESTCOTT

Do we not all know how apt we are to become like those whom we see, with whom we spend our hours, and, above all, like those whom we admire and honour?   For good and for evil, alas!   For evil – for those who associate with evil or frivolous persons are too apt to catch not only their low tone, but their very manner, their very expression of face, speaking and thinking and acting…   But thank God,… just in the same way does good company tend to make them high-minded…   I have lived long enough to see more than one man of real genius stamp his own character, thought, even his very manner of speaking, for good or for evil, on a whole school or party of his disciples.   It has been said, and truly, I believe, that children cannot be brought up among beautiful pictures, – believe, even among any beautiful sights and sounds – without the very expression of their faces becoming more beautiful, purer, gentler, nobler.

CHARLES KINGSLEY

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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.