Quote by William Hersey Davis, (source un

The circumstances amid which you life determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are. Reputation is the photograph; character is the face. Reputation comes over one from without; character grows up from within.Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away. Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year. Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime. Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like the oak. A single newspaper report gives you your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character. Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable. Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the distinction between reputation and character. It suggests that reputation is based on external circumstances and what others perceive or say about you, while character is shaped by your beliefs, values, and actions. Reputation can be easily influenced or changed, often quickly formed and learned, whereas character is developed over a lifetime and reflects one's true nature. Furthermore, reputation may impact how one is perceived in a community or society, while character has a more profound and lasting effect on personal happiness and judgment in the eyes of a higher power.