degradation quotes

How beautiful is all this visible world! How glorious in its action and itself! But we, who name ourselves its sovereigns, we, Half dust, half deity, alike unfit To sink or soar, with our mixed essence make A conflict of its elements, and breathe The breath of degradation and of pride.

-Rochdale
  Manfred, act1, sc.2.

I suppose one has a greater sense of intellectual degradation after an interview with a doctor than from any human experience.

- Alice James
  Diary entry, 27 Sep.

If we have violated any law, it was not done intentionally. We have injured no man's reputation, character, person, or property.We were meeting together to preserve ourselves, our wives, and our children from utter degradation and starvation.

- George Loveless
  Statement to the Dorchester Assizes, Mar, on behalf of the Tolpuddle martyrs.

Let usnever toleratetheslightest inroad onthe discipline of our holy Church. Let us never consent that she should be made the hireling of the Ministry. Our forefathers would have diednay, perished in hopeless slaveryrather than consent to such degradation.

- Daniel known as  the Liberator O'Connell
  Speech, Dublin, 23 Feb.

Although woman has performed much of the labor of theworld, her industryand economy have beenthevery means of increasing her degradation.

- Elizabeth ne  e  Cady Stanton
The History ofWoman Suffrage1848^61, vol.1, ch.1, 'Preceding Causes'.