"Modesty then, as I understand it here, and to discourse about it, is nothing but a strict regard to the decency, as decency is a strict regard to virtue, and virtue is a strict regard to religion; indeed they seem all, in some sense, to be synonymous, and to mean the same thing. It is true, honour and virtue may (speaking strictly) be said in some cases to be preserved, though decency is not so much, or equally regarded. But let all that plead the possibility of that distinction know that however possible it may be it is so far from being probable (that where decency is given up honour should or can be preserved) that they will find it very hard to have it be believed; as they that give up their modesty cannot be said to preserve decency, so they that give up decency will be hardly believed to preserve their virtue.

Hence modesty is become a virtue in itself, and, if it be not literally and expressly all that is understood by the word virtue, 'tis virtue's complete representative, it's true image, and they are as inseparable as the gold and the glistering."


"We are come to an age wherein it is not the mode to acknowledge and reform a mistake, but to add a front to the fact, and triumph in the crimes which they should be ashamed of. It seems below them to vindicate their character; they will rather illustrate it with the fault they should wipe off, and count the shame of it their glory." Daniel Defoe