--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honour sinks where commerce long prevails." description: "\"Honour sinks where commerce long prevails.\" — Oliver Goldsmith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/oliver-goldsmith-772_commerce_honour-sinks-where-commerce-long-prevail_3144036.png" --- # Honour sinks where commerce long prevails. ![“Honour sinks where commerce long prevails.” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/oliver-goldsmith-772_commerce_honour-sinks-where-commerce-long-prevail_3144036.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/oliver-goldsmith-772_commerce_honour-sinks-where-commerce-long-prevail_3144036.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/oliver-goldsmith-772_commerce_honour-sinks-where-commerce-long-prevail_3144036.png) > “Honour sinks where commerce long prevails.” [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral values decline when profit dominates society. **In simple terms:** Commerce erodes honor. Key Takeaway Balance wealth with integrity. Themes ethics economics society Mood reflective critical Type ethical social When to use this quote - business negotiations - political policy - personal decisions Key Concepts morality capitalism social decay Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth affect personal integrity? - Can commerce coexist with honor? A Different Perspective Profit motives can also fund charitable acts, complicating the claim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commerce/) [Commerce Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commerce-long-3119043/) [E commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/e-commerce/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Honour Sinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour-sinks-475710/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Sinks Commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinks-commerce-475713/) ## Related quotes > [Where wealth and freedom reign contentment fails, And honour sinks where commerce long prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/where-wealth-and-freedom-reign-contentment-fails-and-honour-sinks/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Honor sinks where commerce long prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-bagehot/honor-sinks-where-commerce-long-prevails/) [Walter Bagehot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-bagehot/) > [You of the West are practical in business, practical in great inventions, but we of the East are practical in religion. 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Whether your vehicle be commerce,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jay-chapman/if-you-are-to-reach-masses-of-people-in-this-world-you-must-do-it-by/) [John Jay Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jay-chapman/) > [Yes, e-commerce is a strange situation for an old guy like me. You can buy a TV online, OK, but to buy a dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-azria/yes-e-commerce-is-a-strange-situation-for-an-old-guy-like-me-you-can/) [Max Azria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-azria/) ## More by Oliver Goldsmith > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [How happy he who crowns in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/how-happy-he-who-crowns-in-shades-like-these-a-youth-of-labour-with/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [One man is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the other with a wooden ladle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/one-man-is-born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth-and-the-other-with-a/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/he-cast-off-his-friends-as-a-huntsman-his-pack-for-he-knew-when-he/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Even children follow'd with endearing wile, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/even-children-follow-d-with-endearing-wile-and-pluck-d-his-gown-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The premises being thus settled, I proceed to observe that the concatenation of self-existence, proceeding in a reciprocal duplicate ratio, naturally produces a problematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-premises-being-thus-settled-i-proceed-to-observe-that-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, and fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/truth-from-his-lips-prevailed-with-double-sway-and-fools-who-came-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and convenience of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/to-what-fortuitous-occurrence-do-we-not-owe-every-pleasure-and/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Every acknowledgment of gratitude is a circumstance of humiliation; and some are found to submit to frequent mortifications of this kind, proclaiming what obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/every-acknowledgment-of-gratitude-is-a-circumstance-of-humiliation/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [ \[T\]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles-which-are-hidden-from-our/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Like the bee, we should make our industry our amusement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/like-the-bee-we-should-make-our-industry-our-amusement/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Age, that lessens the enjoyment of life, increases our desire of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/age-that-lessens-the-enjoyment-of-life-increases-our-desire-of-living/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And every care resign: And we shall never, never part, My life-my all that's mine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/thus-let-me-hold-thee-to-my-heart-and-every-care-resign-and-we-shall/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Here lies David Garrick, describe me who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/here-lies-david-garrick-describe-me-who-can-an-abridgment-of-all-that/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) [Explore all 375 Oliver Goldsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## More Commerce quotes > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [“Designing posters, for me, is not only a commercial pursuit but also a philosophical endeavor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fang-chen/designing-posters-for-me-is-not-only-a-commercial-pursuit-but-also-a/) [Fang Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fang-chen/) > [If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-were-in-this-business-only-for-the-business-i-wouldn-t-be-in/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Honor commerce as the engine of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/honor-commerce-as-the-engine-of-change/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [ Rather than comparing \[war\] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-could-more-accurately-compare-it/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The future is religion and commerce, aphrodisiac and Benzedrine, a mother of mysterious comfort and a mistress of familiar ravishments ever on the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-kennedy/the-future-is-religion-and-commerce-aphrodisiac-and-benzedrine-a/) [Eugene Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-kennedy/) > [Trade and commerce, if they were not made of Indian rubber, would never manage to bounce over the obstacles which legislators are continually putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/trade-and-commerce-if-they-were-not-made-of-indian-rubber-would-never/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-american-way-was-for-commerce-personal-relationships-and-religion/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Some have suggested that ideally there must be some international body that would treat areas like the Arctic as a global commerce, a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/some-have-suggested-that-ideally-there-must-be-some-international/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [If everything that you do is for the market, it won't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-allen-lawson/if-everything-that-you-do-is-for-the-market-it-won-t-work/) [T. Allen Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-allen-lawson/) > [Spring comes with joyous laugh, and song, and sunshine, and the burnt sacrifice of the over-ripe boot and the hoary overshoe. 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