Summary
This quote suggests that affectation, or the act of putting on a false show or pretending to be someone you're not, can often conceal many positive qualities or virtues that a person possesses. In contrast, the quote implies that acts of charity, while commendable, tend to reveal fewer flaws or sins. Essentially, the quote highlights the idea that artificial behavior can mask genuine goodness, and that true acts of virtue are often more subtle and less publicly evident.
By Horace Mann