The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [210]
8. Character is habit long continued.
9. Character is the result of conduct.
10. Trust more in character than promises.
11. To the bad character good doctrine avails nothing.
12. One’s character is the arbiter of one’s fortune.
Chapter 31: Charity
1. Who gives to be seen will not help in the dark.
2. Better feed ten drones than let one bee starve.
3. Better to give one than promise two.
4. Rather not live than to live by alms.
5. They give twice who give quickly.
6. Do good, and ask not for whom.
Chapter 32: Cheapness
1. Cheap things are not good, good things are not cheap.
2. Cheap bargains are dear.
3. The cheap buyer takes bad meat.
4. To buy cheap, buy of a needy fool.
Chapter 33: Children
1. A pet child has many names.
2. Children and drunkards speak truth.
3. A spoiled child never loves its mother.
4. Better a little chiding than a great heartbreak.
5. Children and fools have merry lives.
6. Children and fools must avoid edged tools.
7. Children are certain cares but uncertain comforts.
8. Children are poor men’s riches.
9. Children have wide ears and long tongues.
10. Children pick up words as pigeons pick peas.
11. Children suck the mother when young, and the father when old.
12. Children when young make parents fools; when older, make them mad.
13. For a little child a great mourning.
14. Give the child his will and he will turn out ill.
15. Happy are those who are happy in their children.
16. Those without children do not know love.
17. Better to have one plough going than two cradles.
18. As the twig is bent, the tree inclines.
19. Late children, early orphans.
20. The child says nothing but what is heard by the fire.
21. The sports of children satisfy the child.
22. Unruly children make their sire stoop.
23. When children stand still, they have done some ill.
24. Children have more need of example than criticism.
25. Better the child should cry than the parent.
26. The neighbour’s children are always the worst.
27. What the parents spin the children must reel.
28. You can do anything with children if only you will play with them.
29. Children are deceived with candies and men with promises.
30. Better bind children with respect than fear.
Chapter 34: Company
1. A crowd is not company.
2. Company in misery makes it light.
3. Company keeps your mind from coarsening.
4. Ill company is like a dog, which dirties most those it most loves.
5. The company makes the feast.
6. If you live with the lame you learn to limp.
7. Jackdaw to jackdaw.
8. Who lies down with dogs will rise with fleas.
9. No road is long in good company.
10. The smaller the company, the better the feast.
Chapter 35: Conceit
1. Conceit is the comfort of little men.
2. To be full of oneself is to be empty.
3. Those who are in love with themselves will have no rivals.
4. He thinks his farthing good silver.
Chapter 36: Confidence
1. Confidence is a plant of slow growth.
2. No one can be forced into trust.
3. Skill and confidence make an unconquerable army.
4. Confidence arises from caution.
Chapter 37: Conscience
1. An evil deed has a witness in the bosom.
2. A burdened conscience needs no hangman.
3. A clear conscience bears any trouble.
4. A good conscience is a soft pillow.
5. A guilty conscience never feels safe.
6. Conscience tells us what is honour.
7. A quiet conscience sleeps through thunder.
8. Who has no conscience has nothing.
9. The worm of conscience consorts with the owl.
10. A clear conscience is a wall of brass.
11. A bad conscience is a snake in one’s breast.
Chapter 38: Contentment
1. Those who are content can never be ruined.
2. A contented mind is a kingdom.
3. Better a little with content than much with contention.
4. Contentment lodges oftener in cottages than castles.
5. Contentment surpasses wealth.
Chapter 39: Courage
1. If you do not enter the tiger’s den, you cannot get his cubs.
2. Courage is never out of fashion.
3. Courage scorns the death it cannot shun.
4. Courage should have eyes as well as arms.
5. It is easier