---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There have certainly been many periods in…"
description: "\"There have certainly been many periods in history when virtue was more rare than under the Caesars; but there has probably never been a period when vic..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_extravagant_there-have-certainly-been-many-periods-i_1667381.jpg"
---

#  There have certainly been many periods in history when…

![“There have certainly been many periods in history when virtue was more rare than under the Caesars; but there has probably never been a period when vice was more extravagant or uncontrolled.” quote by William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_extravagant_there-have-certainly-been-many-periods-i_1667381.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_extravagant_there-have-certainly-been-many-periods-i_1667381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_extravagant_there-have-certainly-been-many-periods-i_1667381.jpg)

> “There have certainly been many periods in history when virtue was more rare than under the Caesars; but there has probably never been a period when vice was more extravagant or uncontrolled.”

[William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Virtue has become rarer over time, while vice has grown more extravagant and unchecked.

**In simple terms:** Moral standards decline as immoral behavior flourishes.

Key Takeaway

Strive to uphold virtue in a corrupt era.

Themes

morality history decline

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

historical critical

When to use this quote

- political leadership
- corporate ethics
- personal conduct
- public policy

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy social decay

Questions to Reflect On

- Is virtue truly rarer today?
- How can societies curb excess vice?

A Different Perspective

Historical context may differ; not universal.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/)

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## More by William Edward Hartpole Lecky

> [Faith always presented to the mind the idea of an abnormal intellectual condition, of the subversion or suspension of the critical faculties. It sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/faith-always-presented-to-the-mind-the-idea-of-an-abnormal/)

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