The education of youth, an employment of more consequence than making laws and preaching the gospel, because it lays the foundation on which both law and gospel rest for success.
Noah WebsterRead
The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities, and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The moral character of individuals is more valuable to society than their skills, suggesting that emotional intelligence should be prioritized over intellectual ability.
This quote from Noah Webster highlights the importance of virtues—such as kindness, integrity, and compassion—over mere abilities or talents. It suggests that in building a better society, we should focus more on nurturing our moral qualities and emotional intelligence ('the heart') than solely on gaining knowledge or skills ('the head'), as the former creates a more positive impact on the community and its overall well-being.
Themes
VirtuesSocietyHeartMindMoral Character
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community service, one might quote this to emphasize the significance of integrity.
More from Noah Webster
All quotes →It is an object of vast magnitude that systems of education should be adopted and pursued which may not only diffuse a knowledge of the sciences but may implant in the minds of the American youth the principles of virtue and of liberty and inspire them with just and liberal ideas of government and with an inviolable attachment to their own country.
Noah WebsterRead
In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate-look to his character.
Noah WebsterRead
Language is not an abstract construction of the learned, or of dictionary makers, but is something arising out of the work, needs, ties, joys, affections, tastes, of long generations of humanity, and has its bases broad and low, close to the ground
Noah WebsterRead
Nothing has a greater tendency to lessen the reverence which mankind ought to have for the Supreme Being, than a careless repetition of his name upon every trifling occasion . . . . To prevent this profanation, such passages are selected from scripture, as contain some important precepts of morality and religion, in which that sacred name is seldom mentioned. Let sacred things be appropriated to sacred purposes.
Noah WebsterRead
To exterminate our popular vices is a work of far more importance to the character and happiness of our citizens than any other improvements in our system of education.
Noah WebsterRead
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