--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great necessities call out great virtues." description: "\"Great necessities call out great virtues.\" — Abigail Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png" --- # Great necessities call out great virtues. ![“Great necessities call out great virtues.” quote by Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png) > “Great necessities call out great virtues.” [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True needs reveal the best qualities in people. **In simple terms:** Needs show character. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtues through challenges. Themes virtue necessity character Mood reflective encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - hardship - leadership - parenting Key Concepts moral philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What virtues emerge in your hardest times? - How do you nurture them? A Different Perspective Virtues can be compromised under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great Necessities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-necessities-4344810/) [Great Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-virtues-279277/) [Necessities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessities/) [Necessities Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessities-great-4344811/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever there are great virtues, it's a sure sign something's wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/whenever-there-are-great-virtues-it-s-a-sure-sign-something-s-wrong/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Affliction is the school in which great virtues are acquired, in which great characters are formed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/affliction-is-the-school-in-which-great-virtues-are-acquired-in-which/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [It doesn't matter that Cathy was what I have called a monster. Perhaps we can't understand Cathy, but on the other hand we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-doesn-t-matter-that-cathy-was-what-i-have-called-a-monster-perhaps/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Do not be troubled because you have not great virtues. God made a million spears of grass where He made one tree. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/do-not-be-troubled-because-you-have-not-great-virtues-god-made-a/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Solitude cherishes great virtues and destroys little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/solitude-cherishes-great-virtues-and-destroys-little-ones/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [ All great virtues become great men. \[Fr., Toutes grandes vertus conviennent aux grands hommes.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/all-great-virtues-become-great-men-fr-toutes-grandes-vertus/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [War, like all other situations of danger and of change, calls forth the exertion of admirable intellectual qualities and great virtues, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/war-like-all-other-situations-of-danger-and-of-change-calls-forth-the/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) > [No one should be judged by their defects. The great virtues a person has are his or her especially. But their errors are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/no-one-should-be-judged-by-their-defects-the-great-virtues-a-person/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [All great virtues become great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/all-great-virtues-become-great-men/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Men who do not forgive women their little faults will never enjoy their great virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/men-who-do-not-forgive-women-their-little-faults-will-never-enjoy/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/wisdom-and-penetration-are-the-fruit-of-experience-not-the-lessons-of/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [“It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed...the habits of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/it-is-not-in-the-still-calm-of-life-or-the-repose-of-a-pacific-2/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I always wish to find great virtues where there are great talents, and to love what I admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-montagu/i-always-wish-to-find-great-virtues-where-there-are-great-talents-and/) [Elizabeth Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-montagu/) > [The great virtues of the German people have created more evils than idleness ever did vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/the-great-virtues-of-the-german-people-have-created-more-evils-than/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [“..:Waiting is a process that brings forth great virtues. Hard task, yet, great reward:..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/waiting-is-a-process-that-brings-forth-great-virtues-hard-task-yet/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) ## More by Abigail Adams > [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/these-are-the-times-in-which-a-genius-would-wish-to-live-it-is-not-in/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [You cannot know, should I discribe to you; the feelings of a parent . . . . Four years have already past away since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/you-cannot-know-should-i-discribe-to-you-the-feelings-of-a-parent/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/deliver-me-from-your-cold-phlegmatic-preachers-politicians-friends/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-habits-of-a-vigorous-mind-are-born-in-contending-with-difficulties/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-only-chance-for-much-intellectual-improvement-in-the-female-sex/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/many-of-our-disappointments-and-much-of-our-unhappiness-arise-from/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/to-be-good-and-do-good-is-the-whole-duty-of-man-comprised-in-a-few/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is meat for one is not for another--no accounting for fancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-meat-for-one-is-not-for-another-no-accounting-for-fancy/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is it that affectionate parents require of their Children; for all their care, anxiety, and toil on their accounts? Only that they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-it-that-affectionate-parents-require-of-their-children-for/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-ve-always-felt-that-a-person-s-intelligence-is-directly-reflected/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The house shakes...with the roar of the cannon. No sleep for me tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-house-shakes-with-the-roar-of-the-cannon-no-sleep-for-me-tonight/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [A little of what you call frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/a-little-of-what-you-call-frippery-is-very-necessary-towards-looking/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/well-knowledge-is-a-fine-thing-and-mother-eve-thought-so-but-she/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Explore all 74 Abigail Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## More Necessities quotes > [Enjoy the necessities of life but eschew the excesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gardner/enjoy-the-necessities-of-life-but-eschew-the-excesses/) [Ian Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gardner/) > [“give me the luxuries of life and I will gladly do without the necessities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/give-me-the-luxuries-of-life-and-i-will-gladly-do-without-the/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [so few in reality are the true necessities of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/so-few-in-reality-are-the-true-necessities-of-man/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [It's often hard for us to imagine going without some of our luxuries like travel, dining out, or Internet, much less our basic necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/it-s-often-hard-for-us-to-imagine-going-without-some-of-our-luxuries/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [The Constitution of the United States, like all systems of government which are permanent, had its origin in the history and necessities of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-freeman-miller/the-constitution-of-the-united-states-like-all-systems-of-government/) [Samuel Freeman Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-freeman-miller/) > [“Meeting a thousand needs for one client is better than having a thousand clients whose needs you cannot meet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/meeting-a-thousand-needs-for-one-client-is-better-than-having-a/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-library-is-not-a-luxury-but-one-of-the-necessities-of-life/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Capitalism is about turning luxuries into necessities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/capitalism-is-about-turning-luxuries-into-necessities/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Necessities can be many, but the one that is stronger is that which constrains you to win or to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/necessities-can-be-many-but-the-one-that-is-stronger-is-that-which/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“The vessel was just comfortable for two people; there was room only for necessities, and Flambeau had stocked it with such things as his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-vessel-was-just-comfortable-for-two-people-there-was-room-only/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Our necessities are few, but our wants are endless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/our-necessities-are-few-but-our-wants-are-endless/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Our values are not luxuries, but necessities. They are not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/our-values-are-not-luxuries-but-necessities-they-are-not-the-salt-in/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“The need has to be defined by an Individual. If the basic need of quenching thirst can be met by a glass of water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-chaturvedi/the-need-has-to-be-defined-by-an-individual-if-the-basic-need-of/) [Ajay Chaturvedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-chaturvedi/) > [Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lothrop-motley/give-us-the-luxuries-of-life-and-we-will-dispense-with-its-necessities/) [John Lothrop Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lothrop-motley/) > [Free choice - a small selection between pre-established necessities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/free-choice-a-small-selection-between-pre-established-necessities/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) [Browse all 69 Necessities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Great necessities call out great virtues.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abigail Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Necessities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/abigail-adams-9209_necessities_great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues_2123662.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Great necessities call out great virtues.” — Abigail Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abigail Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Great necessities call out great virtues.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```