There are some faults so nearly allied to excellence that we can scarce weed out the vice without eradicating the virtue.
quote by Oliver Goldsmith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
It is easier to run from virtue to vice, than from vice to virtue.
Virtue practiced to be seen is not real virtue; vice which fears to be seen is real vice.
Virtue And Vice
think of me
i'll think of you
we better think
this whole thing through
sometimes i'm so clumsy
you talk to me
i'll talk to you
you cut the fat
and we'll both chew
you know we're both hungry
i feel so alive today
that's all that i wanted to say
i hope that it stays this way
if not i will be okay
say another prayer
save another life
kiss me on my head
and tell me
everything's alright
'cause i can say it one
or i can shout it twice
all there really is
is virtue and vice
virtue and vice
cry to me
i'll cry to you
sometimes the pain will only do
you know i'm not kidding
you laugh with me
i'll laugh with you
at all the stupid things we do
tomorrow we'll be happy
song performed by by Black Crowes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Virtue & Vice
Think of me
I'll think of you
We better think
This whole thing through
Sometimes i'm so clumsy
You talk to me
I'll talk to you
You cut the fat
And we'll both chew
You know we're both hungry
I feel so alive today
That's all that i wanted to say
I hope that it stays this way
If not i will be okay
Say another prayer
Save another life
Kiss me on my head
And tell me
Everything's alright
'cause i can say it one
Or i can shout it twice
All there really is
Is virtue and vice
Virtue and vice
Cry to me
I'll cry to you
Sometimes the pain will only do
You know i'm not kidding
You laugh with me
I'll laugh with you
At all the stupid things we do
Tomorrow we'll be happy
song performed by by Black Crowes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Virtue Vice
Think of me
Ill think of you
We better think
This whole thing through
Sometimes Im so clumsy
You talk to me
Ill talk to you
You cut the fat
And well both chew
You know were both hungry
I feel so alive today
Thats all that I wanted to say
I hope that it stays this way
If not I will be okay
Say another prayer
Save another life
Kiss me on my head
And tell me
Everythings alright
cause I can say it one
Or I can shout it twice
All there really is
Is virtue and vice
Virtue and vice
Cry to me
Ill cry to you
Sometimes the pain will only do
You know Im not kidding
You laugh with me
Ill laugh with you
At all the stupid things we do
Tomorrow well be happy
song performed by by Black Crowes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In the midst of vice we are in virtue, and vice versa.
quote by Samuel Butler
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Over-Virtue
Over-virtue is dangerous,
Unlike over-vice, which has
Conscience as its watch dog.
Over-virtue might do more harm.
(04.02.2011)
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Prologue To Mallet's Mustapha
Since Athens first began to draw mankind,
To picture life, and show the impassion'd mind;
The truly wise have ever deem'd the stage
The moral school of each enlighten'd age.
There, in full pomp, the tragic Muse appears,
Queen of soft sorrows, and of useful fears.
Faint is the lesson reason's rules impart:
She pours it strong, and instant through the heart.
If virtue is her theme, we sudden glow
With generous flame; and what we feel, we grow.
If vice she paints, indignant passions rise;
The villain sees himself with loathing eyes.
His soul starts, conscious, at another's groan,
And the pale tyrant trembles on his throne.
To-night, our meaning scene attempts to show
What fell events from dark suspicion flow;
Chief when it taints a lawless monarch's mind,
To the false herd of flattering slaves confined.
The soul sinks gradual to so dire a state;
E'en excellence but serves to feed its hate:
To hate remorseless cruelty succeeds,
And every worth, and every virtue bleeds.
Behold, our author at your bar appears,
His modest hopes depress'd by conscious fears.
Faults he has many—but to balance those,
His verse with heart-felt love of virtue glows:
All slighter errors let indulgence spare,
And be his equal trial full and fair.
For this best British privilege we call,
Then—as he merits, let him stand or fall.
poem by James Thomson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Consistent Excellence
Go...
Ask anyone of your neighbors,
How difficult it is...
To produce consistent excellence.
With a doing done you do,
To ensure your life...
Is lived to make sense.
With the best from yourself,
To show those your excellence...
Is not some luck that has been sent.
Your excellence is what is meant.
Go...
Ask anyone of your neighbors,
And when you are done...
Ask your friends and family too,
If consistent excellence with a bit of sweat...
Is something done you know they do,
For themselves.
And nothing from them to you to prove.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Butterfly Weed
Oh lady bug, you've done a good deed.
Setting your table on the butterfly weed,
You're the custodian of all you survey,
On butterfly weed, till the end of the day.
Oh beautiful monarch, where do you feed,
I see you too love the butterfly weed.
You and the ladybug would be poor indeed,
If it was'nt for the butterfly weed.
Oh hummingbird whose throat seems to bleed,
What do you here on the butterfly weed?
All hummingbirds, good advice heed,
We love the orange butterfly weed.
God's smallest creatures, go by one creed,
To congregate on the butterfly weed.
Let the south wind blow, and spread your seed,
So that there will be millions of the butterfly weed.
5/31/03 Alton Texas
poem by Juan Olivarez
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Were there no desire there would be no virtue, and because one man desires what another does not, who shall say whether the child of his desire be Vice or Virtue?
quote by Edgar Rice Burroghs
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Take care that thou be not made a fool by flatterers, for even the wisest men are abused by these. Know, therefore, that flatterers are the worst kind of traitors; for they will strengthen thy imperfections, encourage thee in all evils, correct thee in nothing; but so shadow and paint all thy vices and follies, as thou shalt never, by their will, discern evil from good, or vice from virtue. And, because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the additions of other men's praises is most perilous. Do not therefore praise thyself, except thou wilt be counted a vain-glorious fool; neither take delight in the praises of other men, except thou deserve it, and receive it from such as are worthy and honest, and will withal warn thee of thy faults; for flatterers have never any virtue — they are ever base, creeping, cowardly persons. … But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for as a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend.
quote by Walter Raleigh
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Seaweed Shovelling Song
This is my seaweed shovelling song
Ive been shovelling all day long
Ive got got my seaweed shovel in hand
Because Im a seaweed shovelling man
Green weed, red weed, still alive and dead weed
Lying in a pile on the shore
Brown weed, pink weed, smelly kind of stink weed
Who on earth could ask for more!
This is my seaweed shovelling song
Ive been shovelling all day long
Ive got got my seaweed shovel in hand
Because Im a seaweed shovelling man
Dry weed, wet weed, aint-been-troubled-yet weed
Glinting in the morning sun
Thin weed, thick weed, slimy kind of slick weed
Every bucket weighs a ton!
This is my seaweed shovelling song
Ive been shovelling all day long
Ive got got my seaweed shovel in hand
Because Im a seaweed shovelling
Seaweed shovelling
Seaweed shovelling
Seaweed shovelling man!
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Passtime with good company
1 Pastime with good company
2 I love and shall unto I die.
3 Grudge whoso will, but none deny,
4 So God be pleased, this live will I.
5 For my pastance
6 Hunt, sing, and dance.
7 My heart is set
8 All godely sport
9 To my comfort.
10 Who shall me let?
11 Youth will have needs daliance,
12 Of good or ill some pastance.
13 Company me thinketh then best
14 All thoftes and fantasies to digest.
15 For idleness
16 Is chief mistress
17 Of vices all.
18 Than who can say
19 But "pass the day"
20 Is best of all?
21 Company with honesty
22 Is virtue, and vice to flee.
23 Company is good or ill
24 But every man hath his free will.
25 The best ensue,
26 The worst eschew,
27 My mind shall be.
28 Virtue to use,
29 Vice to refuse,
30 I shall use me.
poem by Henry VIII King of England
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.
quote by Francis Bacon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Ballad of Gentleness
The firste stock-father of gentleness,
What man desireth gentle for to be,
Must follow his trace, and all his wittes dress,
Virtue to love, and vices for to flee;
For unto virtue longeth dignity,
And not the reverse, safely dare I deem,
All wear he mitre, crown, or diademe.
This firste stock was full of righteousness,
True of his word, sober, pious, and free,
Clean of his ghost, and loved business,
Against the vice of sloth, in honesty;
And, but his heir love virtue as did he,
He is not gentle, though he riche seem,
All wear he mitre, crown, or diademe.
Vice may well be heir to old richess,
But there may no man, as men may well see,
Bequeath his heir his virtuous nobless;
That is appropried to no degree,
But to the first Father in majesty,
Which makes his heire him that doth him queme,
All wear he mitre, crown, or diademe.
poem by Geoffrey Chaucer
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On Being Oneself
If virtue
can't be mine alone
at least my faults
can be my own.
Be to their virtue very kind; be to their faults a little blind.
quote by Matthew Prior
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.
Francis Bacon in Of Adversity
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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