Quote

I am more and more convinced that man is a dangerous creature and that power, whether vested in many or a few, is ever grasping, and like the grave, cries, 'Give, give.'

Abigail Adams

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Abigail Adams
Age: 73 †
Born: 1744
Born: November 22
Died: 1818
Died: October 28
First Lady
Politician
Weymouth
Massachusetts
Abigail Smith
Abigail Smith Adams
Ever
Creatures
Grasping
Many
Dangerous
Cries
Giving
Economy
Liberalism
Men
Wisdom
Grave
Like
Politics
Creature
Whether
Graves
Power
Convinced
Give
Cry
Vested

More quotes by Abigail Adams

Image
I feel anxious for the fate of our monarchy, or democracy, or whatever is to take place. I soon get lost in a labyrinth of perplexities but, whatever occurs, may justice and righteousness be the stability of our times, and order arise out of confusion. Great difficulties may be surmounted by patience and perseverance.
Abigail Adams
Image
If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women.
Abigail Adams
Image
I begin to think, that a calm is not desirable in any situation in life. Man was made for action and for bustle too, I believe.
Abigail Adams
Image
Great learning and superior abilities...will be of little value and small estimation unless virtue, honor, truth, and integrity are added to them.
Abigail Adams
Image
We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.
Abigail Adams
Image
It is to me a most affecting thing to hear myself prayed for, in particular as I do every day in the week, and disposes me to bear with more composure, some disagreeable circumstances that attend my situation.
Abigail Adams
Image
Wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.
Abigail Adams
Image
A little of what you call frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world.
Abigail Adams
Image
May your mind be thoroughly impressed with the absolute necessity of universal virtue and goodness, as the only sure road to happiness, and may you walk therein with undeviating steps.
Abigail Adams
Image
Every object is beautiful in motion a ship under sail, trees gently agitated with the wind, and a fine woman dancing, are three instances in point
Abigail Adams
Image
Dark and sour humours, especially those which have a spice of malevolence in them, are vastly disagreeable. Such men have no music in their souls.
Abigail Adams
Image
The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in occasional intercourse with the learned.
Abigail Adams
Image
Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.
Abigail Adams
Image
I acknowledge myself a unitarian - Believing that the Father alone, is the supreme God, and that Jesus Christ derived his Being, and all his powers and honors from the Father. ... There is not any reasoning which can convince me, contrary to my senses, that three is one, and one three.
Abigail Adams
Image
What is meat for one is not for another--no accounting for fancy.
Abigail Adams
Image
Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your sex.
Abigail Adams
Image
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.
Abigail Adams
Image
What is the history of mighty kingdoms and nations, but a detail of the ravages and cruelties of the powerful over the weak?
Abigail Adams
Image
I've always felt that a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view he can entertain simultaneously on the same topic.
Abigail Adams
Image
The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.
Abigail Adams