Character Quotes

The first glance at History convinces us that the actions of men proceed from their needs, their passions, their characters and talents and impresses us with the belief that such needs, passions and interests are the sole spring of actions.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Strong feelings do not necessarily make a strong character. The strength of a man is to be measured by the power of the feelings he subdues not by the power of those which subdue him.

William Carleton

History is the record of an encounter between character and circumstances.

Donald Creighton

Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence and a belief in our right and our responsibility to be equal members of society.

Janet Jackson

Forming characters! Whose? Our own or others? Both. And in that momentous fact lies the peril and responsibility of our existence.

Elihu Burritt

Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they find laughable.

Anon.

Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open.

Elmer G. Letterman

Pride sullies the noblest character.

Claudianus

There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some announce goodness, and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness, and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.

Johann Kaspar Lavate

Talents are best nurtured in solitude character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Johann von Goethe

Forming characters Whose Our own or others Both. And in that momentous fact lies the peril and responsibility of our existence.

Elihu Burritt

Wealth stays with us a little moment if at all only our characters are steadfast, not our gold.

Euripides

A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.

Theodore Roosevelt

Firmness of purpose is one of the most necessary sinews of character, and one of the best instruments of success. Without it genius wastes its efforts in a maze of inconsistencies.

Philip Dormer Chesterfield

Our character... is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be.

George Santayana, "The German Mind: A Philosophical Diagnosis".

Johnson himself turned out to be so many different characters he could have populated all of War and Peace and still had a few people left over.

Herbert Mitgang

Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny.

Tyron Edwards

Character is the foundation stone upon which one must build to win respect. Just as no worthy building can be erected on a weak foundation, so no lasting reputation worthy of respect can be built on a weak character.

R. C. Samsel

To bear failure with courage is the best proof of character that anyone can give.

W. Somerset Maugham

I used to be a lawyer, but now I am a reformed character.

Woodrow Wilson

It is the characteristic excellence of the strong man that he can bring momentous issues to the fore and make a decision about them. The weak are always forced to decide between alternatives they have not chosen themselves.

Dietrich Bonhoeffe

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it the tree is the real thing.

Abraham Lincoln

A person without character is just as body without soul.

Ranjan

Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath.

Solon

The character of a man is known from his conversations.

Menande

The farther behind I leave the past, the closer I am to forging my own character.

Isabelle Eberhardt

One can acquire everything in solitude except character.

Stendhal

Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.

Johann von Goethe

Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.

D. L. Moody

Character is what you are in the dark.

American Prove

The influence of individual character extends from generation to generation.

Macleod

To display the greatest powers, unless they are applied to great purposes, makes nothing for the character of greatness.

William Hazlitt, on the Pleasure of Hating

Character is who you are when no one is looking.

Allan Williams

Men show their characters in nothing more clearly than in what they think laughable.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I was going to sue for defamation of character, but then I realised I have no character.

Charles Barkley, "they said it" in Sports Illustrated

Nature is at work.. Character and destiny are her handiwork. She gives us love and hate, jealousy and reverence. All that is ours is the power to choose which impulse we shall follow.

David Seabury