dots-menu
×

S. Austin Allibone, comp. Prose Quotations from Socrates to Macaulay. 1880.

Innocence

To dread no eye, and to suspect no tongue, is the great prerogative of innocence: an exemption granted only to invariable virtue. But guilt has always its horrors and solicitudes; and, to make it yet more shameful and detestable, it is doomed often to stand in awe of those to whom nothing could give influence or weight, but their power of betraying.

Dr. Samuel Johnson: Rambler, No. 68.

How many bitter thoughts does the innocent man avoid! Serenity and cheerfulness are his portion. Hope is continually pouring its balm into his soul. His heart is at rest, whilst others are goaded and tortured by the stings of a wounded conscience, the remonstrances and risings up of principles which they cannot forget; perpetually teased by returning temptations, perpetually lamenting defeated resolutions.

William Paley.

An innocent nature could hate nothing that was innocent: in a word, so great is the commutation that the soul then hated only that which now only it loves, i.e., sin.

Robert South.