``My dear girl,'' said Victor, ``the primer lesson in the life of action is: `Never--NEVER look at motives. Action--only actions--always actions.' The chief reason the human race is led patiently round by the nose is its fondness for fussing about motives. We are interested only in men's actions and the results to our cause. Davy Hull's motives concern only himself-- and those who care for him.'' Victor's eyes, twinkling mischievously, shot a shrewd glance at Selma. ``You're not by any chance in love with Davy?''英文原著 · 《The Conflict》
"I hope you had a motive for killing him," continued Fisher, mildly. "You see, it's rather a curious situation. If you have a motive for murdering, you probably didn't murder. But if you hadn't any motive, why, then perhaps, you did."英文原著 · 《The Man Who Knew Too Much》
Thus, the apprehension of a coming object, which is to gratify a motive principle, excites hope, which is strong in proportion to the strength of the apprehension, and the strength of the particular motive principle; while the apprehension of a coming object, which is to disappoint this motive principle, stirs up fear. It is strange that Stewart nowhere treats of the emotions in his " Philosophy of the Active Powers."英文原著 · 《The Scottish Philosophy》
Locke is the philosopher, who, in writing on Human Understanding, has specially delivered the doctrine, that uneasiness is the cause which determines the will, and urges us to act. He says[22], "The motive we have for continuing in the same state, is only the present satisfaction we feel in it; the motive to change is always some uneasiness: nothing setting us upon the change of state, or upon any new action, but some uneasiness. This is the great motive that works on the mind."英文原著 · 《Thoughts on Man》
The negative is made out by an argument which seems to amount to demonstration, that every event requires a cause, a cause why it is as it is and not otherwise, that the human will is guided by motives, and is consequently always ruled by the strongest motive, and that we can never choose any thing, either without a motive of preference, or in the way of following the weaker, and deserting the stronger motive[26].英文原著 · 《Thoughts on Man》
Now there is nothing whatever wrong about being a Dean; nor is there anything wrong about being gloomy. The only question is what dark but sincere motives have made you gloomy. What dark but sincere motives have made you a Dean. Now the address of Dr. Inge which gained him this erroneous title was mostly concerned with a defence of the modern capitalists against the modern strikers, from whose protest he appeared to anticipate appalling results. Now if we look at the facts about that gentleman's depression and also about his Deanery, we shall find a very curious state of things.英文原著 · 《A Miscellany of Men》