--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Character is much easier kept than…" description: "\"“Character is much easier kept than recovered, and that man, if any such there be, who, from sinister views, or littleness of soul, lends unseen his ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/thomas-paine-267_character_character-is-much-easier-kept-than-recov_2807460.png" --- # Character is much easier kept than recovered, and that… ![“Character is much easier kept than recovered, and that man, if any such there be, who, from sinister views, or littleness of soul, lends unseen his hand to injure it, contrives a wound it will never be in his power to heal.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/thomas-paine-267_character_character-is-much-easier-kept-than-recov_2807460.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/thomas-paine-267_character_character-is-much-easier-kept-than-recov_2807460.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/thomas-paine-267_character_character-is-much-easier-kept-than-recov_2807460.png) > ““Character is much easier kept than recovered, and that man, if any such there be, who, from sinister views, or littleness of soul, lends unseen his hand to injure it, contrives a wound it will never be in his power to heal.”” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Character is fragile; once damaged by malicious intent, it may never fully recover. **In simple terms:** Character can be broken, hard to fix. Key Takeaway Protect your character. Themes integrity vulnerability morality Mood cautious serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - leadership - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you safeguard your character? - Can damaged character be healed? A Different Perspective Some believe character can be rebuilt with effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [Character is much easier kept than recovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/character-is-much-easier-kept-than-recovered/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Character is easier kept than recovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/character-is-easier-kept-than-recovered/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [It's so difficult, particularly with an antisocial character. It's much easier if he's already a blank page, but once you've written on him, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/it-s-so-difficult-particularly-with-an-antisocial-character-it-s-much/) [Donald E. 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You will see blood, BUT lovesickness you will see only tear from your eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stab-wound-you-will-see-blood-but-lovesickness-you-will-see-only-tear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tell the truth about your wound, and then you will get a truthful picture of the remedy to apply to it. Don't pack whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/tell-the-truth-about-your-wound-and-then-you-will-get-a-truthful/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [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/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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