"Most honorable are services rendered to the State; even if they do not go beyond words, they are not..." — Sallust

He only seems to me to live, and to make proper use of life, who sets himself some serious work to do, and seeks the credit of a task well and skillfully performed.

Before you act, consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act.

Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible.

In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural.