Quote by Henry David Thoreau
There are nine hundred and ninety-nine patrons of virtue to one virtuous man.
Summary
This quote implies that while there may be numerous people who claim to value and support virtue, there is actually a scarcity of individuals who truly embody virtuous qualities. The ratio suggests that genuine virtue is rare and often overshadowed by the majority who merely admire or talk about its value. It highlights the gap between professing moral ideals and actually living by them, emphasizing the challenge of finding truly virtuous individuals in a world that often falls short of its stated principles.