George Washington, Letter to the Grand Lodge of Free Masons of Massachusetts (27 December 1792), published in The Writings Of George Washington (1835) by Jared Sparks, p. 201

Flattering as it may be to the human mind, & truly honorable as it is to receive from our fellow citizens testimonies of approbation for exertions to promote the public welfare; it is not less pleasing to know that the milder virtues of the heart are highly respected by a society whose liberal principles must be founded in the immediate laws of truth and justice.

— George Washington on Truth

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Flattering as it may be to the human mind, & truly honorable as it is to receive from our fellow citizens testimonies of approbation for exertions to promote the public welfare; it is not less pleasing to know that the milder virtues of the heart are highly respected by a society whose liberal principles must be founded in the immediate laws of truth and justice." in the context of "George Washington, Letter to the Grand Lodge of Free Masons of Massachusetts (27 December 1792), published in The Writings Of George Washington (1835) by Jared Sparks, p. 201" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Truth" (W) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
George Washington

About George Washington

George Washington (22 February 1732 – 14 December 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Second Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army in June 1775, Washington led Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted and ratified the Constitution of the United States and established the American federal government. Washington has thus been called the "Father of his Country".