“Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.”

— Thomas Paine

1790s, Letter to the Addressers (1792)
Context: A thing, moderately good, is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Oct. 1, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice." by Thomas Paine?

Thomas Paine 262

English and American political activist 1737–1809

Related quotes

“Our age is an age of moderate virtue
And moderate vice”

T.S. Eliot (1888–1965) 20th century English author

Choruses from The Rock (1934)

“That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”

George Mason (1725–1792) American delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention

Article 15
Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)

“The moderation of great men only sets a limit to their vices. The moderation of weak men is mediocrity.”

Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–1747) French writer, a moralist

La modération des grands hommes ne borne que leurs vices. La modération des faibles est médiocrité.
Source: Reflections and Maxims (1746), p. 168.

“Virtue lies in moderation”

Aristotle (-384–-321 BC) Classical Greek philosopher, student of Plato and founder of Western philosophy

“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!”

Barry Goldwater (1909–1998) American politician

Acceptance Speech as the 1964 Republican Presidential candidate. Variants and derivatives of this that are often quoted include:
Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Tolerance in the face of tyranny is no virtue.
Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
Moderation in the protection of liberty is no virtue; extremism in the defense of freedom is no vice.

“As tempers rose, a compromise was urged by certain moderates, whom everyone ignored.”

Bruce Sterling (1954) American writer, speaker, futurist, and design instructor

Short fiction, The Peak of Eternal Light (2012)

“The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.”

Aristotle (-384–-321 BC) Classical Greek philosopher, student of Plato and founder of Western philosophy

“It is the safest to be moderately base — to be flexible in shame, and to be always ready for what is generous, good, and just, when anything is to be gained by virtue.”

Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English writer and clergyman

"Catholics", published in The Edinburgh Review (1827)

“And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”

Karl Hess (1923–1994) American journalist

Barry Goldwater's speech http://www.c-span.org/video/?4018-1/goldwater-1964-acceptance-speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination, written by Karl Hess, delivered 16 July 1964, San Francisco.
Context: I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

“Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl chain of all virtues.”

Joseph Hall (1574–1656) British bishop

Christian Moderation, introduction.

“Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Thomas Paine 262

Related quotes

Related topics