A Quote by William Butler Yeats

The light of lights looks always on the motive, not the deed, the shadow of shadows on the deed alone.

William Butler Yeats

Quote Topics

Alone Always Deed Light Lights Looks Motive Shadow Shadows

Quote Author

William Butler Yeats
Irish - Poet
June 13, 1865 - January 28, 1939

Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and lay open the soul of the doer.

John Barth

Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It is nobler when it is a deed.

Henry David Thoreau

Man and his deed are two distinct things. Whereas a good deed should call forth approbation and a wicked deed dis-approbation, the doer of the deed, whether good or wicked always deserves respect or pity as the case may be. Hate the sin and not the sinner is a precept which though easy enough to understand is rarely practised, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

It is not the deed we do Though the deed be never so fair, But the love that the dear Lord looketh for, Hidden with lovely care In the heart of the deed so fair.

Christina Rossetti

Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone that light is going to keep shining on, pushing the shadows back.

Charles de Lint

Give a good deed the credit of a good motive; and give an evil deed the benefit of the doubt.

Brander Matthews

A background can be painted in the same range of values as the foreground by reversing the light effect. In the shadow plane, paint the lights cool and the shadows warm, and in the sunlight plane, paint the lights warm and shadows cool.

Harvey Dunn

You teacher, teach your pupils freedom in thought and deed, honesty in thought and deed, and tolerance in thought and deed.

Ameen Rihani

It is easy to understand that the best deed is well done: and so well as the best deed is done - the highest - so well is the least deed done; and all thing in its property and in the order that our Lord hath ordained it to from without beginning. For there is no doer but He.