Costumi Quotes

“L'incivilimento dei costumi, il progresso delle idee durante l'ultimo secolo è opera d'una minoranza esigua di spiriti illuminati; la massa resta ignara, feroce quando può, sempre egoista e gretta, e si può scommettere fondatamente che tale resterà sempre.”
― Marguerite Yourcenar, Memorie di Adriano

“And he said to me, "Truly, nay; for you Christians care not how untruly you serve God. You should set an example to the
common people to do well, and you set them an example of doing evil. For the commons, upon festival days, when they
should go to church to serve God, go to taverns, and are there in gluttony all day and night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no reason, and know not when they have enough. And also, the Christians encourage one another, in
all ways that they may, to fight, and to deceive one another. And they are so proud that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, now straight, now large, now with sword,
now with dagger, and in all manner of guises. They should be simple, meek, and true, and full of alms-deeds, as Jesus was,
in whom they believe ; but they are all the contrary, and ever inclined to evil, and to do evil. And they are so covetous, that
for a little silver they sell their daughters, their sisters, and their own wives, to put them to lechery. And one seduces the wife of another, and none of them holdeth faith to another ; but they break their law, that Jesus Christ gave them to keep for their salvation. And thus, for their sins, have they lost all this land which we hold.”
― Thomas Wright