Source identified
Read & copy the quotation
“Truthfulness is at the foundation of all personal excellence.”
- Source
- Character
- Date
- 1871
Meaning of “Truthfulness is at the foundation of all personal…”
Personal excellence is grounded in truthfulness because habits of distortion eventually weaken trust, judgment, and the consistency between principle and action.
Where does it come from?
Character, Chapter I, “Influence of Character,” Project Gutenberg #2541. Smiles places the sentence in his discussion of veracity and reliableness, arguing that talent or genius cannot command durable confidence unless conduct can be trusted.
