Website owner:  James Miller

The heart of a great deal of virtue is the practice of exercising restraint

   The heart of a great deal of virtue is the practice of 
   exercising restraint.  It goes by such names as self-control, 
   self-discipline, self-denial and self-restraint but the basic 
   idea is that of exercising restraint in regard to one thing or 
   another. 


   Types of behavior involving restraint

      - thrift, frugality     (restraint with regard to spending 
                                 money)

      - temperance     (restraint with regard to eating or 
                            drinking)

      - sexual morality, chastity      (restraint in regard to 
                                           sex)

      - modesty      (restraint with respect to dress, behavior 
                         and speech) 

      - politeness, courtesy     (refraining from discourteous 
                                    words or acts) 

      - honesty, integrity    (refusing to yield to temptation to 
                                lie, cheat, steal, etc.)




   Types of behavior showing lack of restraint

      - extravagance, spendthriftiness

      - over-eating, gluttony, excessive drinking

      - immorality, profligacy, sexual misconduct

      - profanity, vulgarity, coarseness

      - impoliteness, discourtesy

      - dishonesty, lying, cheating, stealing, etc.



   What is it that dictates restraints on conduct?  Intellect. 
   Wisdom. Prudence. Conscience. Moral sense. Religious teaching.  
   How does one exercise restraint?  One acts on principle. 

   Note that when one exercises self-control or restraint one is 
   reacting to something: temptation.  One exercises abstinence or 
   denial with regard to temptation. 



   Apr 1991