Careful Words

morality (n.)

  All those instances to be found in history, whether real or fabulous, of a doubtful public spirit, at which morality is perplexed, reason is staggered, and from which affrighted Nature recoils, are their chosen and almost sole examples for the instruction of their youth.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797): Letter i. On a Regicide Peace. Vol. v. p. 311.

  We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality.

Thomas B Macaulay (1800-1859): On Moore's Life of Lord Byron. 1830.

  Sir, he [Bolingbroke] was a scoundrel and a coward: a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it off himself, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotchman to draw the trigger at his death.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784): Life of Johnson (Boswell). Vol. ii. Chap. i. 1754.

Religion blushing, veils her sacred fires,

And unawares Morality expires.

Nor public flame nor private dares to shine;

Nor human spark is left, nor glimpse divine!

Lo! thy dread empire Chaos is restor'd,

Light dies before thy uncreating word;

Thy hand, great Anarch, lets the curtain fall,

And universal darkness buries all.

Alexander Pope (1688-1744): The Dunciad. Book iv. Line 649.