One kernel is felt in a hogshead; one drop of water helps to swell the ocean; a spark of fire helps to give light to the world. None are too small, too feeble, too poor to be of service. Think of this and act.
Hannah MoreRead
Genius without religion is only a lamp on the outer gate of a palace; it may serve to cast a gleam of light on those that are without, while the inhabitant sits in darkness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Genius lacks depth without spiritual or moral grounding, illuminating only the outside world while neglecting the inner self.
Hannah More's quote emphasizes that intellectual brilliance, symbolized by 'genius', is insufficient on its own if it lacks a moral or spiritual framework, represented by 'religion'. Just as a lamp illuminates the entrance of a grand palace but leaves its inner spaces in darkness, a genius devoid of ethical or spiritual guidance can only provide superficial insight, failing to enlighten the more profound aspects of human existence.
Themes
GeniusReligionWisdomIntellectSpirituality
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a lecture on the importance of integrating ethics with intellectual pursuits.
More from Hannah More
All quotes →Man can see his reflection in water only when he bends down close to it, and the heart of man, too, must lean down to the heart of his fellow; then it will see itself within his heart.
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Absence in love is like water upon fire; a little quickens, but much extinguishes it.
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Since trifles make the sum of human things, And half our misery from our foibles springs.
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Everything which relates to God is infinite. We must therefore, while we keep our hearts humble, keep our aims high. Our highest services are indeed but finite, imperfect. But as God is unlimited in goodness, He should have our unlimited love.
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Affliction is the school in which great virtues are acquired, in which great characters are formed.
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