--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The path of duty I clearly trace, / I…" description: "\"The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with conscience face to face, / And all her pleas allow; / Calling and crying the while for grace, - / 'Som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png" --- # The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with… ![“The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with conscience face to face, / And all her pleas allow; / Calling and crying the while for grace, - / 'Some other time, and some other place; / Oh, not to-day; not now!” quote by Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png) > “The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with conscience face to face, / And all her pleas allow; / Calling and crying the while for grace, - / 'Some other time, and some other place; / Oh, not to-day; not now!” [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet describes a conflict between duty and personal desire, postponing immediate action for a later time. **In simple terms:** Duty clashes with desire; delay for later. Key Takeaway Balance duty with personal needs. Themes duty conflict delay Mood thoughtful conflicted Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - family obligations - moral decisions - time management Key Concepts ethical dilemma personal sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What duty am I deferring? - Is waiting always wise? A Different Perspective Procrastination may lead to missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Face to face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-to-face/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [No displeasure, even of the dearest friends, can put me off the duty I see clearly in front of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-displeasure-even-of-the-dearest-friends-can-put-me-off-the-duty-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“A truly good person will speak truth, act with truth, and stand for Truth. A truly good person is not afraid to think from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-truly-good-person-will-speak-truth-act-with-truth-and-stand-for/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [What I cannot live with may not bother another man's conscience. The result is that conscience will stand against conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-i-cannot-live-with-may-not-bother-another-man-s-conscience-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Whenever you stand up For your conscience, Be prepared to be hated By the wicked. But never, ever, let that scare you; For whenever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/whenever-you-stand-up-for-your-conscience-be-prepared-to-be-hated-by/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“TRUTH Whenever you stand up For your conscience, Be prepared to be hated By the wicked. But never, ever, Let that scare you; For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/truth-whenever-you-stand-up-for-your-conscience-be-prepared-to-be/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Not once or twice in our rough island story, The path of duty was the way to glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/not-once-or-twice-in-our-rough-island-story-the-path-of-duty-was-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man the path of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civilization-is-that-mode-of-conduct-which-points-out-to-man-the-path-2/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The path of duty lies in what is near, and men seek for it in what is remote; the work of duty lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-path-of-duty-lies-in-what-is-near-and-men-seek-for-it-in-what-is/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [“Not once or twice in our fair island-story, The path of duty was the way to glory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/not-once-or-twice-in-our-fair-island-story-the-path-of-duty-was-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [When you are in the line of your duty, it is like standing in front of a line of posts, and every post is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/when-you-are-in-the-line-of-your-duty-it-is-like-standing-in-front-of/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-heaven-has-conferred-is-called-the-nature-an-accordance-with/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [But, sir, I shall take the path of duty and shall not swerve from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-f-wade/but-sir-i-shall-take-the-path-of-duty-and-shall-not-swerve-from-it/) [Benjamin F. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-f-wade/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [A man may quarrel with himself alone; that is, by controverting his better instincts and knowledge when brought face to face with temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/a-man-may-quarrel-with-himself-alone-that-is-by-controverting-his/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) ## More by Alice Cary > [There must be room for penitence to mend Life's broken chance; else noise of wars would unmake heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/there-must-be-room-for-penitence-to-mend-life-s-broken-chance-else/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [My soul is full of whispered song,-My blindness is my sight;The shadows that I feared so longAre full of life and light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/my-soul-is-full-of-whispered-song-my-blindness-is-my-sight-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [True worth is in being, not seeming- In doing, each day that goes by, Some little good, not in the dreaming Of great things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/true-worth-is-in-being-not-seeming-in-doing-each-day-that-goes-by/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I hold that a man had better be dead than alive when his work is done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-hold-that-a-man-had-better-be-dead-than-alive-when-his-work-is-done/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [The attempt is all the wedge that splits its knotty way betwixt the impossible and possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-attempt-is-all-the-wedge-that-splits-its-knotty-way-betwixt-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [True worth is in being, not seeming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/true-worth-is-in-being-not-seeming/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Every life is meant to help all lives; each man should live for all men's betterment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/every-life-is-meant-to-help-all-lives-each-man-should-live-for-all/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I hold that Christian grace abounds Where charity is seen; that when We climb to heaven, 'tis on the rounds Of love to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-hold-that-christian-grace-abounds-where-charity-is-seen-that-when/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/women-and-men-in-the-crowd-meet-and-mingle-yet-with-itself-every-soul/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Nothing in this low and ruined world bears the meek impress of the Son of God so surely as forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/nothing-in-this-low-and-ruined-world-bears-the-meek-impress-of-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I sit where the leaves of the maple and the gnarled and knotted gum are circling and drifting around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-sit-where-the-leaves-of-the-maple-and-the-gnarled-and-knotted-gum/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [For he who is honest is noble, Whatever his fortunes or birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/for-he-who-is-honest-is-noble-whatever-his-fortunes-or-birth/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Even for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief, death cannot long divide; for is it not as if the rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/even-for-the-dead-i-will-not-bind-my-soul-to-grief-death-cannot-long/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [We cannot make bargains for blisses, / Nor catch them like fishes in nets; / And sometimes the thing our life misses, / Helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/we-cannot-make-bargains-for-blisses-nor-catch-them-like-fishes-in/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [He who loves best his fellow-man, is loving God the holiest way he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/he-who-loves-best-his-fellow-man-is-loving-god-the-holiest-way-he-can/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) [Explore all 26 Alice Cary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with conscience face to face, / And all her pleas allow; / Calling and crying the while for grace, - / 'Some other time, and some other place; / Oh, not to-day; not now!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Cary" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand-with-conscience-face-to-face/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Calling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand-with-conscience-face-to-face/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/alice-cary-23060_calling_the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand_3091077.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The path of duty I clearly trace, / I stand with conscience face to face, / And all her pleas allow; /…” — Alice Cary", "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": "Alice Cary", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The path of duty I clearly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand-with-conscience-face-to-face/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-path-of-duty-i-clearly-trace-i-stand-with-conscience-face-to-face/#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 } } ] } ```