--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs…" description: "\"“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/anne-bronte-1444_strong-man_what-is-it-that-constitutes-virtue-mrs-g_1687666.jpg" --- # What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the… ![“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptation to resist? Is he a strong man that overcomes great obstacles and performs surprising achievements, though by dint of great muscular exertion, and…” quote by Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/anne-bronte-1444_strong-man_what-is-it-that-constitutes-virtue-mrs-g_1687666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/anne-bronte-1444_strong-man_what-is-it-that-constitutes-virtue-mrs-g_1687666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/anne-bronte-1444_strong-man_what-is-it-that-constitutes-virtue-mrs-g_1687666.jpg) > ““What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptation to resist? Is he a strong man that overcomes great obstacles and performs surprising achievements, though by dint of great muscular exertion, and at the risk of some subsequent fatigue, or he that sits in his chair all day, with nothing to do more laborious than stirring the fire, and carrying his food to his mouth? If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world, you must not attempt to clear the stones from his path, but teach him to walk firmly over them- not insist upon leading him by the hand, but let him learn to go alone.”” [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtue is shaped by how one faces challenges, not by the absence of difficulty; true character develops through overcoming obstacles independently. **In simple terms:** Virtue comes from confronting challenges alone. Key Takeaway Teach resilience, not overprotection. Themes character resilience parenting virtue Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - education - personal growth - leadership training Key Concepts Moral philosophy self-reliance developmental psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance protection with fostering independence? - What obstacles can strengthen character? A Different Perspective Resilience can be fostered without neglecting necessary guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Strong man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-man/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/what-is-it-that-constitutes-virtue-mrs-graham-is-it-the-circumstance-2/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [We gain the strength of the temptation we resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-gain-the-strength-of-the-temptation-we-resist/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Temptations are as thick as the leaves of the forest, and no one can be out of the reach of temptation unless he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/temptations-are-as-thick-as-the-leaves-of-the-forest-and-no-one-can/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [In proportion as a man is selfish, so far has he receded from the motive which constitutes virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-proportion-as-a-man-is-selfish-so-far-has-he-receded-from-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Zoe’s face tilted up toward his presented a temptation he could no more resist than he could prevent the sun from rising.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-longley/zoe-s-face-tilted-up-toward-his-presented-a-temptation-he-could-no/) Barbara Longley > [Self-love, as it happens to be well or ill conducted, constitutes virtue and vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/self-love-as-it-happens-to-be-well-or-ill-conducted-constitutes/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [.. that which renders morality an active principle and constitutes virtue our happiness, and vice our misery: it is probable, I say, that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-which-renders-morality-an-active-principle-and-constitutes/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may not have demon fathers dangling offers of infernal power before us, but everyone understands what it means to struggle with temptation or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/we-may-not-have-demon-fathers-dangling-offers-of-infernal-power/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [I never resist temptation, because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-resist-temptation-because-i-have-found-that-things-that-are/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Don't tempt me, I can resist anything but temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/don-t-tempt-me-i-can-resist-anything-but-temptation/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [Resist the temptation to think what afflicts you is peculiar to you. Have faith that what is in your consciousness can be communicated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/resist-the-temptation-to-think-what-afflicts-you-is-peculiar-to-you/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [We should resist the temptation to identify our religious convictions with the platform of a party or the platitudes of favored politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-e-reed-jr/we-should-resist-the-temptation-to-identify-our-religious-convictions/) [Ralph E. Reed, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-e-reed-jr/) > [Resist the temptation to ascribe motive, because you really don't know - and it gets in the way of being able to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/resist-the-temptation-to-ascribe-motive-because-you-really-don-t-know/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [We must resist the temptation of once again turning America into the traditional bogeyman of the left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-napolitano/we-must-resist-the-temptation-of-once-again-turning-america-into-the/) [Giorgio Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-napolitano/) > [Wish there was something that I could say or do, I can resist anything but the temptation from you. But I'd rather walk alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/wish-there-was-something-that-i-could-say-or-do-i-can-resist-anything/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) ## More by Anne Brontë > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“There was a certain graceful ease and freedom about all he said and did, that gave a sense of repose and expansion to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-was-a-certain-graceful-ease-and-freedom-about-all-he-said-and/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“When a lady does consent to listen to an argument against her own opinions, she is always predetermined to withstand it - to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/when-a-lady-does-consent-to-listen-to-an-argument-against-her-own/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“There are, I suppose, some men as vain, as selfish, and as heartless as she is, and, perhaps, such women may be useful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-i-suppose-some-men-as-vain-as-selfish-and-as-heartless-as/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [ “By his \[God's\] help I will arise and address myself diligently to my appointed duty. If happiness in this world is not for me,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/by-his-god-s-help-i-will-arise-and-address-myself-diligently-to-my/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [There is such a thing as looking through a person's eyes into the heart, and learning more of the height, and breadth, and depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-is-such-a-thing-as-looking-through-a-person-s-eyes-into-the/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“Keep a guard over your eyes and ears as the inlets of your heart, and over your lips as the outlet, lest they betray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/keep-a-guard-over-your-eyes-and-ears-as-the-inlets-of-your-heart-and/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [What the world stigmatizes as romantic is often more nearly allied to the truth than is commonly supposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/what-the-world-stigmatizes-as-romantic-is-often-more-nearly-allied-to/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [I was not really angry: I felt for him all the time, and longed to be reconciled; but I determined he should make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/i-was-not-really-angry-i-felt-for-him-all-the-time-and-longed-to-be/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“Sullen silence was taken for rapt attention, and gave him greater room to talk; sharp answers were received as smart sallies of girlish vivacity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/sullen-silence-was-taken-for-rapt-attention-and-gave-him-greater-room/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“Revenge! No—what good would that do?—it would make him no better, and me no happier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/revenge-no-what-good-would-that-do-it-would-make-him-no-better-and-me/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [I’ll promise to think twice before I take any important step you seriously disapprove of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/i-ll-promise-to-think-twice-before-i-take-any-important-step-you/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [“It’s well to have such a comfortable assurance regarding the worth of those we love. I only wish you may not find your confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/it-s-well-to-have-such-a-comfortable-assurance-regarding-the-worth-of/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [How odd it is that we so often weep for each other's distresses, when we shed not a tear for our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/how-odd-it-is-that-we-so-often-weep-for-each-other-s-distresses-when/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [Adoration isn't love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/adoration-isn-t-love/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) [Explore all 235 Anne Brontë quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) ## More Strong man quotes > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“All the while my head would be filled with vivid dreams concerning the heroes of my last-read novel, and I would keep picturing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/all-the-while-my-head-would-be-filled-with-vivid-dreams-concerning/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Other men puffed, snorted, and splashed. George passed through the ocean with the silent dignity of a torpedo. Other men swallowed water, here a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/other-men-puffed-snorted-and-splashed-george-passed-through-the-ocean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What sort of man could you love for a lifetime?" he asked her. She was silent for a while. He guessed that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/what-sort-of-man-could-you-love-for-a-lifetime-he-asked-her-she-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I am a strong man, I am always looking forward and this is my main thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdoulaye-doucoure/i-am-a-strong-man-i-am-always-looking-forward-and-this-is-my-main/) [Abdoulaye Doucoure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdoulaye-doucoure/) > [“This is, of course, the privilege of love, to bear witness to a strong man’s grief over the little sister he could never save,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-rivers/this-is-of-course-the-privilege-of-love-to-bear-witness-to-a-strong/) [Mary Ann Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-rivers/) > [A lot of guys have muscles. A lot of strong men in this world. I think it's important to show that even under all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/a-lot-of-guys-have-muscles-a-lot-of-strong-men-in-this-world-i-think/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [“That strong man you mentioned earlier? You’re looking at one. And we not only go after what we want, we plan when the party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-arthur/that-strong-man-you-mentioned-earlier-you-re-looking-at-one-and-we/) A.C. Arthur > [I'm a strong man, and usually I get over hurts and it makes me stronger when I come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-baker/i-m-a-strong-man-and-usually-i-get-over-hurts-and-it-makes-me/) [Dusty Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-baker/) > [Deny a strong man his due, and he will take all he can get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucan/deny-a-strong-man-his-due-and-he-will-take-all-he-can-get/) [Lucan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucan/) > [“Sadly, Mary, from this point on, was not only bound to fail to impress anyone as to her ability as a monarch, she failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-dunn/sadly-mary-from-this-point-on-was-not-only-bound-to-fail-to-impress/) [Jane Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-dunn/) > [A strong man can handle a strong woman. A weak man will say she has an attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-strong-man-can-handle-a-strong-woman-a-weak-man-will-say-she-has-an/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [If you are pure, if you are strong, you, one man are equal to the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/if-you-are-pure-if-you-are-strong-you-one-man-are-equal-to-the-whole/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) [Browse all 320 Strong man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptation to resist? 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