Morals of the Church
Library › Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology › Volume I › Book I. On the General Principles of the Christian Life › Treatise III. On Those Things which Dispose Toward Human Acts, or on Habits › Dissertation I. On Virtues › Part II. On Virtues in Particular › Section II. On Supernatural Moral Virtues › Chapter II. On Supernatural Moral Virtues in Particular › Article IV. On Temperance › § IV. On the Potential Parts of Temperance

point — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Point III. On Modesty

453.

Modesty, which as a subaltern species is divided into several lowest species, can be defined: a moral virtue inclining man to the moderation of those things whose restraint has moderate difficulty. And thus it is distinguished from temperance, meekness, and clemency, which restrain more difficult and more vehement passions (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 160, a. 1).1

Now the things moderately difficult to restrain are: 1. movements of the soul toward some excellence, which humility moderates; 2. the desire of those things which pertain to knowledge, which studiosity moderates; 3. passions which are occupied around external movements of the body, both in serious matters and in playful matters, and which modesty of conduct and eutrapely moderate; 4. passions which regard the adornment of the body and the arrangement of external things, of which modesty of attire is the moderator (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 160, a. 2).2

We must speak of each.

1 Cf. Billuart, diss. 7, a. 4; Salmanticenses, Arb. praed., n. 131 (p. 489).

2 Cf. Billuart, diss. 7, a. 4; Salmanticenses, Arb. praed., n. 132 (p. 489).

Modesty

Within this division