I'd as soon desire to have it proved that my mother could drink brandy, chew tobacco, and swear, by way of satisfying me that I did right in doing the same.

It wouldn't make me at all more satisfied with these things in myself, and it would take from me the comfort of respecting her; and it really is a comfort, in this world, to have anything one can respect.

In short, you see," said he, suddenly resuming his gay tone, "all I want is that different things be kept in different boxes.

The whole frame-work of society, both in Europe and America, is made up of various things which will not stand the scrutiny of any very ideal standard of morality.

It's pretty generally understood that men don't aspire after the absolute right, but only to do about as well as the rest of the world.