--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What virtue is there in a man who…" description: "\"What virtue is there in a man who demonstrates goodness because he has been bred to it? It is his habit from youth. But a man who has known unkindness ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/deanna-raybourn-4836_be-kind_what-virtue-is-there-in-a-man-who-demons_945748.jpg" --- # What virtue is there in a man who demonstrates goodness… ![“What virtue is there in a man who demonstrates goodness because he has been bred to it? It is his habit from youth. But a man who has known unkindness and want, for him to be kind and charitable to those who have been the cause of his misfortunes, that is a virtuous man.” quote by Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/deanna-raybourn-4836_be-kind_what-virtue-is-there-in-a-man-who-demons_945748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/deanna-raybourn-4836_be-kind_what-virtue-is-there-in-a-man-who-demons_945748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/deanna-raybourn-4836_be-kind_what-virtue-is-there-in-a-man-who-demons_945748.jpg) > “What virtue is there in a man who demonstrates goodness because he has been bred to it? It is his habit from youth. But a man who has known unkindness and want, for him to be kind and charitable to those who have been the cause of his misfortunes, that is a virtuous man.” [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtue is cultivated by habit from youth, but true moral strength is shown when one is kind to those who caused one's suffering. **In simple terms:** Goodness from habit; true virtue is kindness to former oppressors. Key Takeaway Practice kindness even to those who hurt you. Themes morality habit resilience empathy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - education - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts character development ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive without expecting reward? - How does habit shape moral choices? A Different Perspective Kindness to adversaries can be exploited or misunderstood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-kind/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Charitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charitable/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Misfortunes Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes-virtuous-1650287/) [Unkindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unkindness/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-man-532020/) [Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous/) [Virtuous Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous-man-297659/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Unkind people need your kindness the most. They advertise their pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/unkind-people-need-your-kindness-the-most-they-advertise-their-pain/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Be kind to each other. It is better to commit faults with gentleness than to work miracles with unkindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/be-kind-to-each-other-it-is-better-to-commit-faults-with-gentleness/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [One of the keys to our present definition of good taste is that it is better to be kind than to be 'correct.' There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/one-of-the-keys-to-our-present-definition-of-good-taste-is-that-it-is/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Before Santa and presents and shopping and all the attendant Christmas (stuff) got involved, this holiday was enshrined to commemorate a guy who got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rivers-pitt/before-santa-and-presents-and-shopping-and-all-the-attendant/) [William Rivers Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rivers-pitt/) > [Be good, be kind, be humane, and charitable; love your fellows; console the afflicted; pardon those who have done you wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/be-good-be-kind-be-humane-and-charitable-love-your-fellows-console/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Heaven made virtue; man, the appearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/heaven-made-virtue-man-the-appearance/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Audacity in wooing is a great virtue, but a man must measure even his virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/audacity-in-wooing-is-a-great-virtue-but-a-man-must-measure-even-his/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [To me it seems that liberty and virtue were made for each other. If any man wish to enslave his country, nothing is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-berkeley/to-me-it-seems-that-liberty-and-virtue-were-made-for-each-other-if/) [George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-berkeley/) > [“Man was created with an aspiration for significance, which is a virtue. Man can pervert that drive into a lust for power, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/man-was-created-with-an-aspiration-for-significance-which-is-a-virtue/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“When I die, I hope to go to heaven-- whatever the hell that is-- and I want to be able to afford the price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/when-i-die-i-hope-to-go-to-heaven-whatever-the-hell-that-is-and-i/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Were there no desire there would be no virtue, and because one man desires what another does not, who shall say whether the child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/were-there-no-desire-there-would-be-no-virtue-and-because-one-man/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [What's virtue in a man can't be virtue in a cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-abigail-dodge/what-s-virtue-in-a-man-can-t-be-virtue-in-a-cat/) [Mary Abigail Dodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-abigail-dodge/) > [I want to be prepared to claim the greatest virtue of all - that I was a man who made money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-want-to-be-prepared-to-claim-the-greatest-virtue-of-all-that-i-was/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [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/) > [“The virtue of man lies in his ability to correct his mistakes and continually make a new man of himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-virtue-of-man-lies-in-his-ability-to-correct-his-mistakes-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Deanna Raybourn > [Life is too uncertain... You must seize happiness where you find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/life-is-too-uncertain-you-must-seize-happiness-where-you-find-it/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“I never thought to meet a true romantic in the wilds of Africa of all places.” Ryder gestured expansively. “Why not? Africa is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-never-thought-to-meet-a-true-romantic-in-the-wilds-of-africa-of-all/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [I hesitated for all the right reasons. And I accepted for all the wrong ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-hesitated-for-all-the-right-reasons-and-i-accepted-for-all-the/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“He slid his arms around her. “Is that how you fixed us together? Magic potions in my evening whisky?” She put her hands into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/he-slid-his-arms-around-her-is-that-how-you-fixed-us-together-magic/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“I can bear anything as long as I can have a bit of a laugh,” she told herself as she hurried down the street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-can-bear-anything-as-long-as-i-can-have-a-bit-of-a-laugh-she-told/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [One is not born English without knowing how to converse easily about the weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/one-is-not-born-english-without-knowing-how-to-converse-easily-about/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“Men, I had often observed, were never happier than when they believed they were imparting wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/men-i-had-often-observed-were-never-happier-than-when-they-believed/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“I think people are much the same wherever you go. Some of them good, some of them clever, and some of them with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-think-people-are-much-the-same-wherever-you-go-some-of-them-good/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“Brisbane put one in mind of wolves and lithe jungle cats, while Edward conjured images of seraphim and slim young saints. It required an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/brisbane-put-one-in-mind-of-wolves-and-lithe-jungle-cats-while-edward/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“I had a vision of you, the first time I stepped into Grey House, the night Edward died. That was why I kept staring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-had-a-vision-of-you-the-first-time-i-stepped-into-grey-house-the/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [If you were a man, your ladyship, I would cordially horsewhip you for that remark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/if-you-were-a-man-your-ladyship-i-would-cordially-horsewhip-you-for/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/africa-is-a-land-of-dreams-and-memories-it-is-rifts-of-remembrance/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“My face grew hot. "We were discussing the investigation," I told him quickly. "He was here a quarter of an hour at the most."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/my-face-grew-hot-we-were-discussing-the-investigation-i-told-him/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [“Yo no he dicho eso. Tiene usted el don de sacar el peor significado posible de mis palabras. Nicholas Brisbane”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/yo-no-he-dicho-eso-tiene-usted-el-don-de-sacar-el-peor-significado/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) > [I am sorry " I murmured. "I know. I ought not to have threatened to beat you " he returned. He pressed a kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-raybourn/i-am-sorry-i-murmured-i-know-i-ought-not-to-have-threatened-to-beat/) [Deanna Raybourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) [Explore all 100 Deanna Raybourn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-raybourn/) ## More Be kind quotes > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Volunteer. Find ways to be useful. Be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-black/volunteer-find-ways-to-be-useful-be-kind/) [Claudia Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-black/) > [Remember to be kind. Remember to be loving. Remember to feel all your feelings and to take care of yourself. But most of all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/remember-to-be-kind-remember-to-be-loving-remember-to-feel-all-your/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let me be patient, let me be kind, make me unselfish, without being blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/let-me-be-patient-let-me-be-kind-make-me-unselfish-without-being-blind/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [But I believed in starting over. There was finally, I knew, only rupture and hurt and falling short between all persons, but, Shirley, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/but-i-believed-in-starting-over-there-was-finally-i-knew-only-rupture/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [When you have the choice between being right and being kind just choose kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/when-you-have-the-choice-between-being-right-and-being-kind-just/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? 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