--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no possible line of conduct…" description: "\"There is no possible line of conduct which has at some time and place been condemned, and which has not at some other time and place been enjoined as a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg" --- # There is no possible line of conduct which has at some… ![“There is no possible line of conduct which has at some time and place been condemned, and which has not at some other time and place been enjoined as a duty.” quote by William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg) > “There is no possible line of conduct which has at some time and place been condemned, and which has not at some other time and place been enjoined as a duty.” [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. Moral standards shift over time; actions condemned in one era may be praised in another. **In simple terms:** Ethics change with society. Key Takeaway Recognize moral relativism. Themes ethics history relativism Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - legal reform - social movements - historical analysis Key Concepts cultural norms legal standards philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do we evaluate past actions by today’s standards? - Can any action be universally right or wrong? A Different Perspective Moral judgments are not absolute and can be contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Enjoined Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoined-duty-1915561/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Line Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/line-conduct-1868377/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Place Condemned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place-condemned-1915560/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There is always an inertia to be overcome in striking out a new line of conduct – not more in ourselves, it seems, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/there-is-always-an-inertia-to-be-overcome-in-striking-out-a-new-line/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Decide which is the line of conduct that presents the fewest drawbacks and then follow it out as being the best one, because one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/decide-which-is-the-line-of-conduct-that-presents-the-fewest/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Bearing sham and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood - Sealed my pardon with His blood: Hallelujah, what a Savior!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bliss/bearing-sham-and-scoffing-rude-in-my-place-condemned-he-stood-sealed/) [Philip Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bliss/) > [the right line of conduct is the same for both sexes, though the manner in which it is pursued, may somewhat vary, and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-burney/the-right-line-of-conduct-is-the-same-for-both-sexes-though-the/) [Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-burney/) > [Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/let-everyone-regulate-his-conduct-by-the-golden-rule-of-doing-to/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [I continue to believe that she has not jeopardized America's national security. Now, what I've also said is that, and she's acknowledged, that there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-continue-to-believe-that-she-has-not-jeopardized-america-s-national/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be kindly and just in your dealings with your men. Never play favorites. Make them feel that justice tempered with mercy may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-lejeune/be-kindly-and-just-in-your-dealings-with-your-men-never-play/) [John A. Lejeune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-lejeune/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-be-under-the-influence-of-anger-his-conduct-will-not-be/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Our First Amendment expresses a far different calculus for regulating speech than for regulating nonexpressive conduct and that is as it should be. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/our-first-amendment-expresses-a-far-different-calculus-for-regulating/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Absolute morality is the regulation of conduct in such a way that pain shall not be inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/absolute-morality-is-the-regulation-of-conduct-in-such-a-way-that/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [The border is varied depending on the geography, depending on the specific venue, and depending on the conduct of individuals around it. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-border-is-varied-depending-on-the-geography-depending-on-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/) [Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/) ## 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/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [There are times in the lives of most of us, when we would have given all the world to be as we were but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-when-we-would-have-given/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [ \[Middleton\] contended that the religious leaders of the fourth century had admitted, eulogised, and habitually acted upon principles that were diametrically opposed, not simply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/middleton-contended-that-the-religious-leaders-of-the-fourth-century/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [Terror is everywhere the beginning of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/terror-is-everywhere-the-beginning-of-religion/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [The moral duty to be expected in different ages is not a unity of standard, or of acts, but a unity of tendency ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/the-moral-duty-to-be-expected-in-different-ages-is-not-a-unity-of/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [The unweary, unostentatious, and inglorious crusade of England against slavery may probably be regarded as among the three or four perfectly virtuous pages comprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/the-unweary-unostentatious-and-inglorious-crusade-of-england-against/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [I venture to maintain that there are multitudes to whom the necessity of discharging the duties of a butcher would be so inexpressibly painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/i-venture-to-maintain-that-there-are-multitudes-to-whom-the-necessity/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [Anxiety and Ennui are the Scylla and Charybdis on which the bark of human happiness is most often wrecked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/anxiety-and-ennui-are-the-scylla-and-charybdis-on-which-the-bark-of/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [“One of the great differences between childhood and manhood is that we come to like our work more than our play. It becomes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/one-of-the-great-differences-between-childhood-and-manhood-is-that-we/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [The doctrine of a material hell in its effect was to chill and deaden the sympathies, predispose men to inflict suffering, and to retard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/the-doctrine-of-a-material-hell-in-its-effect-was-to-chill-and-deaden/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [All over Europe the organs that represent dogmatic interests are in permanent opposition to the progressive tendencies around them, and are rapidly sinking into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/all-over-europe-the-organs-that-represent-dogmatic-interests-are-in/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [The simple record of these three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and soften mankind than all the discourses of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/the-simple-record-of-these-three-short-years-of-active-life-has-done/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [Contraction of theological influence has at once been the best measure, and the essential condition of intellectual advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/contraction-of-theological-influence-has-at-once-been-the-best/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [Fierce invectives against women form a conspicuous and grotesque portion of the writings of the Church fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/fierce-invectives-against-women-form-a-conspicuous-and-grotesque/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) > [There is no wild beast so ferocious as Christians who differ concerning their faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-is-no-wild-beast-so-ferocious-as-christians-who-differ/) [William Edward Hartpole Lecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) [Explore all 42 William Edward Hartpole Lecky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/) ## More Conduct quotes > [Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/let-everyone-regulate-his-conduct-by-the-golden-rule-of-doing-to/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be kindly and just in your dealings with your men. Never play favorites. Make them feel that justice tempered with mercy may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-lejeune/be-kindly-and-just-in-your-dealings-with-your-men-never-play/) [John A. Lejeune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-lejeune/) > [Absolute morality is the regulation of conduct in such a way that pain shall not be inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/absolute-morality-is-the-regulation-of-conduct-in-such-a-way-that/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The border is varied depending on the geography, depending on the specific venue, and depending on the conduct of individuals around it. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-border-is-varied-depending-on-the-geography-depending-on-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/) [Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/) > [Our First Amendment expresses a far different calculus for regulating speech than for regulating nonexpressive conduct and that is as it should be. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/our-first-amendment-expresses-a-far-different-calculus-for-regulating/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-be-under-the-influence-of-anger-his-conduct-will-not-be/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Sheel (the highest state of conduct in worldly interaction) is where not even an iota of a wrong intent arises within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/sheel-the-highest-state-of-conduct-in-worldly-interaction-is-where/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Man has long found solace in good talk to offset bad conduct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/man-has-long-found-solace-in-good-talk-to-offset-bad-conduct/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Whence do I get my rules of conduct? I find them in my heart. Whatever I feel to be good is good. Whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/whence-do-i-get-my-rules-of-conduct-i-find-them-in-my-heart-whatever/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [We shall use the terms morality, behavior, conduct, or constructive action in the same broad way. It may sound strange to speak of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-patten/we-shall-use-the-terms-morality-behavior-conduct-or-constructive/) [William Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-patten/) > [The first step in freeing yourself from social restrictions is the realization that there is no such thing as a safe code of conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-first-step-in-freeing-yourself-from-social-restrictions-is-the/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) [Browse all 465 Conduct quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no possible line of conduct which has at some time and place been condemned, and which has not at some other time and place been enjoined as a duty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Edward Hartpole Lecky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-which-has-at-some-time-and-place/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conduct" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-which-has-at-some-time-and-place/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/william-edward-hartpole-lecky_duty_there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-whi_977234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no possible line of conduct which has at some time and place been condemned, and which has not at…” — William Edward Hartpole Lecky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Edward Hartpole Lecky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no possible line of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-which-has-at-some-time-and-place/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edward-hartpole-lecky/there-is-no-possible-line-of-conduct-which-has-at-some-time-and-place/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```