Source: Tactics of Mistake (1971), Chapter 16 (p. 280)
“How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking!”
Letter to John Adams (10 July 1775)
Context: How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking! How often are the laurels worn by those who have had no share in earning them! But there is a future recompense of reward, to which the upright man looks, and which he will most assuredly obtain, provided he perseveres unto the end.
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Do you have more details about the quote "How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hop…" by Abigail Adams?
Abigail Adams 40
2nd First Lady of the United States (1797–1801) 1744–1818Related quotes
“The task must be made difficult, for only the difficult inspires the noble-hearted.”
Sören Kierkegaard
(1813–1855) Danish philosopher and theologian, founder of Existentialism
Paul Keating
(1944) Australian politician, 24th Prime Minister of Australia
Address to the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of parliament of the Republic of Ireland, 20 September, 1993.
“How can we expect others to keep our secrets if we cannot keep them ourselves?”
François de La Rochefoucauld
(1613–1680) French author of maxims and memoirs
Comment prétendons-nous qu'un autre puisse garder notre secret, si nous ne pouvons le garder nous-mêmes?
Maxim 64 of the Maximes supprimées.
Later Additions to the Maxims
Atómstöðin (The Atom Station) (1948)
Jonah Lehrer
(1981) American science writer
Chimeras of Experience: A Conversation with Jonah Lehrer (2009)
Julian of Norwich
(1342–1416) English theologian and anchoress
The First Revelation, Chapter 6
Context: Our soul is so specially loved of Him that is highest, that it overpasseth the knowing of all creatures: that is to say, there is no creature that is made that may know how much and how sweetly and how tenderly our Maker loveth us. And therefore we may with grace and His help stand in spiritual beholding, with everlasting marvel of this high, overpassing, inestimable Love that Almighty God hath to us of His Goodness. And therefore we may ask of our Lover with reverence all that we will.
For our natural Will is to have God, and the Good Will of God is to have us; and we may never cease from willing nor from longing till we have Him in fullness of joy: and then may we no more desire.
