--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If once a man indulges himself in murder…" description: "\"“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and Sabbath-breaki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a59/thomas-de-quincey-7896_philosophy_if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder_471525.jpg" --- # If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he… ![“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.” quote by Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a59/thomas-de-quincey-7896_philosophy_if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder_471525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a59/thomas-de-quincey-7896_philosophy_if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder_471525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a59/thomas-de-quincey-7896_philosophy_if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder_471525.jpg) > ““If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.”” [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeated wrongdoing can lead to a slippery slope, where one crime encourages another, eroding moral standards. **In simple terms:** Small crimes can lead to bigger ones. Key Takeaway Guard against incremental wrongdoing. Themes morality habit consequences Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - criminal justice reform - addiction recovery - ethical training programs - personal habit monitoring Key Concepts ethical decay addiction behavioral escalation Questions to Reflect On - What habits might lead to larger ethical breaches? - Can early intervention stop moral decline? A Different Perspective Not all transgressions follow a linear escalation; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination/) ## Related quotes > [If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder-very-soon-he-comes-to-think-2/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder-very-soon-he-comes-to-think-3/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [If we could make up our minds to spare our friends all details of ill health, of money losses, of domestic annoyances, of altercations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/if-we-could-make-up-our-minds-to-spare-our-friends-all-details-of-ill/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [If, while I hear the wild shriek of the slave mother robbed of her little ones, I do not open my mouth, am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/if-while-i-hear-the-wild-shriek-of-the-slave-mother-robbed-of-her/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [Throughout history government has seldom hesitated from robbing its citizens in a crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/throughout-history-government-has-seldom-hesitated-from-robbing-its/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [Dillinger at one point was the second most popular man in America after President Roosevelt. 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