“We must judge of a man's motives from his overt acts.”

—  Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon

King v. Waddington (1800), 1 East, 158.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "We must judge of a man's motives from his overt acts." by Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon?
Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon photo
Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon 92
British Baron 1732–1802

Related quotes

H.P. Lovecraft photo

“Since all motives at bottom are selfish and ignoble, we may judge acts and qualities only be their effects.”

H.P. Lovecraft book To Quebec and the Stars

"Nietzscheism and Realism" from The Rainbow, Vol. I, No. 1 (October 1921); reprinted in "To Quebec and the Stars", and also in Collected Essays, Volume 5: Philosophy edited by S. T. Joshi, p. 71
Non-Fiction
Context: The undesirability of any system of rule not tempered with the quality of kindness is obvious; for "kindness" is a complex collection of various impulses, reactions and realisations highly necessary to the smooth adjustment of botched and freakish creatures like most human beings. It is a weakness basically—or, in some cases, and ostentation of secure superiority—but its net effect is desirable; hence it is, on the whole, praiseworthy. Since all motives at bottom are selfish and ignoble, we may judge acts and qualities only be their effects. Pessimism produces kindness. The disillusioned philosopher is even more tolerant than the priggish bourgeois idealist with his sentimental and extravagant notions of human dignity and destiny.

Henry Van Dyke photo

“Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his record true:
To think without confusion clearly;
To love his fellow-men sincerely;
To act from honest motives purely;
To trust in God and Heaven securely.”

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933) American diplomat

"Four Things," Poems, vol. 1 (vol. 9 of The Works of Henry Van Dyke) (1920).

W. H. Auden photo

“Man … always acts either self-loving, just for the hell of it, or God-loving, just for the heaven of it; his reasons, his appetites are secondary motivations.”

W. H. Auden book Forewords and Afterwords

Assessing St. Augustine's perspectives in "Augustus to Augustine", p. 37
Forewords and Afterwords (1973)
Context: Man … always acts either self-loving, just for the hell of it, or God-loving, just for the heaven of it; his reasons, his appetites are secondary motivations. Man chooses either life or death, but he chooses; everything he does, from going to the toilet to mathematical speculation, is an act of religious worship, either of God or of himself.
Lastly by the classical apotheosis of Man-God, Augustine opposes the Christian belief in Jesus Christ, the God-Man. The former is a Hercules who compels recognition by the great deeds he does in establishing for the common people in the law, order and prosperity they cannot establish for themselves, by his manifestation of superior power; the latter reveals to fallen man that God is love by suffering, i. e. by refusing to compel recognition, choosing instead to be a victim of man's self-love. The idea of a sacrificial victim is not new; but that it should be the victim who chooses to be sacrificed, and the sacrificers who deny that any sacrifice has been made, is very new.

John Adams photo

“I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading.”

John Adams (1735–1826) 2nd President of the United States

Source: Diary and Autobiography of John Adams: Volumes 1-4, Diary (1755-1804) and Autobiography

Joseph Priestley photo

“Governors will never be awed by the voice of the people, so long as it is a mere voice, without overt-acts.”

Joseph Priestley book Essay on the First Principles of Government

Section II, "Of Political Liberty"
Essay on the First Principles of Government, 2nd Edition (1771)

Dwight D. Eisenhower photo

“Never question another man's motive. His wisdom, yes, but not his motives.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general and politician, 34th president of the United States (in office from 1953 to 1961)
Henry Bickersteth, 1st Baron Langdale photo

“A man acting for himself may indulge his own caprices, and consider what is convenient or agreeable to himself, as well as what is strictly prudent, and his prudential motives cannot afterwards be separated from the others which may have governed him.”

Henry Bickersteth, 1st Baron Langdale (1783–1851) British lawyer

Attorney-General v. Kerr (1840), 2 Beav. 428.
Quote

Rana Bhagwandas photo

“It is the virtue of God, the Parmatma, the creator to do justice and we as judges merely act as his agents. I always seek guidance from the creator so that we do not make a wrong judgment. We act without favour or fear, ill will or affection. For me it makes no difference.”

Rana Bhagwandas (1942–2015) Pakistani judge

Response when asked about feelings as first Pakistani acting-Chief Justice from a minority community, by Onkar Singh in Indian Rediff News interview (14 February 2006).

Otto Weininger photo

“Man must act in such a way that the whole of his individuality lies in each moment.”

Otto Weininger (1880–1903) austrian philosopher and writer

Collected Aphorisms

Scarlett Thomas photo

“Some writers, notably Anton Chekov, argue that all characters must be admirable, because once we've looked at anyone deeply enough and understood their motivation we must identify with them rather than judge them.”

Scarlett Thomas (1972) British writer

Source: Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write Fiction and Unlock the Secret Power of Stories

Related topics