--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many a man's vices have at first been…" description: "\"Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.\" — Augustus William Hare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg" --- # Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than… ![“Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.” quote by Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg) > “Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.” [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vices often start as virtues that become excessive, showing how good traits can turn harmful when unchecked. **In simple terms:** Virtues can become vices when overdone. Key Takeaway Balance virtues to avoid excess. Themes morality balance human nature Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - personal development - ethical training - coaching - self‑assessment Key Concepts excess self‑control character development Questions to Reflect On - Which virtue do you risk over‑extending? - How can you maintain healthy limits? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on a virtue can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Good qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-qualities/) [Good quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-quality/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Man Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-vices-1741382/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Qualities Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities-run-5662511/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Vices Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices-worse-5662512/) ## Related quotes > [Alas! Man's vices, horrible as they are supposed to be, contain the positive proof of his taste for the infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/alas-man-s-vices-horrible-as-they-are-supposed-to-be-contain-the/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [A man must have vices, expensive ones if possible. Otherwise when he reaches old age he will have nothing to be redeemed from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/a-man-must-have-vices-expensive-ones-if-possible-otherwise-when-he/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [A good teacher will appreciate the good qualities of his students. If one good quality is allowed to emerge, a world of good qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/a-good-teacher-will-appreciate-the-good-qualities-of-his-students-if/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [We are not greatly pleased that our friends should respect our good qualities if they venture to perceive our faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-not-greatly-pleased-that-our-friends-should-respect-our-good/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The best way to make ourselves agreeable to others is by seeming to think them so. If we appear fully sensible of their good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-way-to-make-ourselves-agreeable-to-others-is-by-seeming-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I could tell you what my good qualities are. There's my honesty; I have a very wacky, kind of dry humor that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannen-doherty/i-could-tell-you-what-my-good-qualities-are-there-s-my-honesty-i-have/) [Shannen Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannen-doherty/) > [In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-the-intercourse-of-life-we-please-more-by-our-faults-than-by-our/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The rarest of the good qualities in human beings is courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-rarest-of-the-good-qualities-in-human-beings-is-courage/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Do not be jealous of others' good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/do-not-be-jealous-of-others-good-qualities-but-out-of-admiration/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [A single son endowed with good qualities is far better than a hundred devoid of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-single-son-endowed-with-good-qualities-is-far-better-than-a-hundred/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one, and if a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/if-a-man-has-ten-good-qualities-and-one-bad-one-to-look-at-the-ten/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [The honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-honors-and-rewards-fall-to-those-who-show-their-good-qualities-in/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good-qualities-which-were-very/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [It is with certain good qualities as with the senses; those who have them not can neither appreciate nor comprehend them in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-with-certain-good-qualities-as-with-the-senses-those-who-have/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“An evil man without vices was the most dangerous of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-neelakantan/an-evil-man-without-vices-was-the-most-dangerous-of-all/) [Anand Neelakantan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-neelakantan/) ## More by Augustus William Hare > [Do, and have done. The former is far the easiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/do-and-have-done-the-former-is-far-the-easiest/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Temporary madness may be necessary in some cases, to cleanse and renovate the mind; just as a fit of illness is to carry off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/temporary-madness-may-be-necessary-in-some-cases-to-cleanse-and/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [The feeling is often the deeper truth, the opinion the more superficial one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/the-feeling-is-often-the-deeper-truth-the-opinion-the-more/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [It is said that Windham, when he came to the end of a speech, often found himself so perplexed by his own subtlety that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/it-is-said-that-windham-when-he-came-to-the-end-of-a-speech-often/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [It is well for us that we are born babies in intellect. Could we understand half what mothers say and do to their infants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/it-is-well-for-us-that-we-are-born-babies-in-intellect-could-we/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Some persons take reproof good-humoredly enough, unless you are so unlucky as to hit a sore place. Then they wince and writhe, and start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/some-persons-take-reproof-good-humoredly-enough-unless-you-are-so/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [When the moon, after covering herself with darkness as in sorrow, at last throws off the garments of her widowhood, she does not at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/when-the-moon-after-covering-herself-with-darkness-as-in-sorrow-at/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [There is a glare about worldly success which is very apt to dazzle men's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/there-is-a-glare-about-worldly-success-which-is-very-apt-to-dazzle/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Philosophy cannot raise the commonalty up to her level: so, if she is to become popular, she must sink to theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/philosophy-cannot-raise-the-commonalty-up-to-her-level-so-if-she-is/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [The body too has its rights; and it will have them: they cannot be trampled on without peril. The body ought to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/the-body-too-has-its-rights-and-it-will-have-them-they-cannot-be/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Nature is mighty. Art is mighty. Artifice is weak. For nature is the work of a mightier power than man. Art is the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/nature-is-mighty-art-is-mighty-artifice-is-weak-for-nature-is-the/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [They who disbelieve in virtue because man has never been found perfect, might as reasonably deny the sun because it is not always noon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/they-who-disbelieve-in-virtue-because-man-has-never-been-found/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [We look to our last sickness for repentance, unmindful that it is during a recovery men repent, not during a sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/we-look-to-our-last-sickness-for-repentance-unmindful-that-it-is/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [The mind is like a trunk: if well-packed, it holds almost every thing; if ill-packed, next to nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/the-mind-is-like-a-trunk-if-well-packed-it-holds-almost-every-thing/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) [Explore all 93 Augustus William Hare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. 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Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Augustus William Hare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-nothing-worse-than-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-nothing-worse-than-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/augustus-william-hare-7245_firsts_many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-no_1527903.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.” — Augustus William Hare", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Augustus William Hare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many a man's vices have at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-nothing-worse-than-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-nothing-worse-than-good/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```