No heart is pure that is not passionate; no virtue is safe that is not enthusiastic.
John Robert Seeley, English Historian and Essayist
The quote emphasizes the importance of passion and enthusiasm in maintaining the purity of heart and the safety of virtue. It suggests that without a strong emotional commitment, virtues may not be fully protected or practiced. This perspective aligns with the idea that moral and ethical principles are not just intellectual concepts but require a deep, emotional investment to truly live by them.
It suggests that for virtues to be genuinely upheld and for a person to lead a morally sound life, there must be an underlying passion that drives and safeguards these values.