In the temple of science are many mansions. . . and various indeed are they that dwell therein and the motives that have led them thither.
The motives that lead us to do anything might be arranged like the thirty-two winds and might be given names on the same pattern: for instance, "bread-bread-fame" or "fame-fame-bread.
Neither pleasure nor pain should enter as motives when one must do what must be done.
You know, you can't always criticize without somebody being at the end of the stick. And she perhaps did not always grant credit to her opponents for their motives, any more than they granted credit to her for hers.
Never question another man's motive. His wisdom, yes, but not his motives.
Every one knows that the heavenly bodies move in certain paths in relation to each other with seeming consistency and regularity which we call [physical] law. . . . No one attributes freewill or motive to the material world. Is the conduct of man or the other animals any more subject to whim or choice than the action of the planets?. . . We know that man's every act is induced by motives that led or urged him here or there; that the sequence of cause and effect runs through the whole universe, and is nowhere more compelling than with man.
Our very best friends have a tincture of jealousy even in their friendship; and when they hear us praised by others, will ascribe it to sinister and interested motives if they can.
I'm always suspicious of people, especially being in a weird realm of people kind of knowing me. . . and not knowing what people's motives might be.
When men can hate without risk, their stupidity is easily convinced, the motives supply themselves.
Civilization has little to fear from educated people and brain-workers. In them the replacement of religious motives for civilized behaviors by other, secular motives, would proceed unobtrusively. . . .
Apart from selfish reasons, such as fear of punishments, fear of blame, of dishonour, etc, there remains only two motives that can stop (or prevent, "empâecher", Fr. ) men from acting badly; the natural sense of commiseration (or "sympathy", - "commisération", Fr. ) for one's fellow men - compassion, and the influence of education, by association of ideas ("par l'association d'idées", Fr. ) - habit.
Ready are we all to cry out and ascribe motives when our toes are pinched.
The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God.
Negroes, like other people, act upon motives. Why should they do anything for us, if we will do nothing for them? If they stake their lives for us, they must be prompted by the strongest motive, even the promise of freedom. And the promise being made, must be kept.
Discernment is the son of good judgment and the father of self-control. When mixed with an already clear conscience, the ability to read the true motives of a critic keeps one's conscience both clear and at ease.
Since the end of the nineteenth century, if not earlier, presidents have misled the public about their motives and their intentions in going to war.
I am convinced that the majority of people would be generous from selfish motives, if they had the opportunity.
Children are to be won to follow liberal studies by exhortations and rational motives, and on no account to be forced thereto by whipping.
Magnanimity will not consider the prudence of its motives.
A relationship with Christ changes your heart. It's not about your head. It changes your heart. Jesus comes to live in your heart, and even if a person does good works, but they do them without Christ, most of the time, their motives are wrong for why they do them.