“Let men decide firmly what they will not do, and they will be free to do vigorously what they ought to do.”

always liked this

Three stars because it could be said like this.----"Let men decide firmly what they WILL do, and they will be free to do vigorously what they ought to do."-----Sounds more appropriate for a freeman.

Well said!

Choose your principles. Live by them. Be responsible to them and you will be free. Liberty is not libertine, it is self control and self determination.

One can hope, but unless a man has the integrity to NOT do what he shouldn't, how can we expect him to do what he should? A man with honor can be trusted -- but honor is not heriditary. "Let men"? A man of honor does not need to be 'let' to be honorable -- he can do that with or without permission.