--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From his earliest days William Ayrton’s…" description: "\"“From his earliest days William Ayrton’s ambition had been to become a landed gentleman and to found a family. To modern ears this ambition may sound p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/d-e-stevenson-9903_ambition_from-his-earliest-days-william-ayrton-s_3217359.png" --- # From his earliest days William Ayrton’s ambition had been… ![“From his earliest days William Ayrton’s ambition had been to become a landed gentleman and to found a family. To modern ears this ambition may sound peculiar in the extreme, but in the more spacious times of William Ayrton it was a laudable ambition” quote by D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/d-e-stevenson-9903_ambition_from-his-earliest-days-william-ayrton-s_3217359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/d-e-stevenson-9903_ambition_from-his-earliest-days-william-ayrton-s_3217359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/d-e-stevenson-9903_ambition_from-his-earliest-days-william-ayrton-s_3217359.png) > ““From his earliest days William Ayrton’s ambition had been to become a landed gentleman and to found a family. To modern ears this ambition may sound peculiar in the extreme, but in the more spacious times of William Ayrton it was a laudable ambition”” [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A desire to own land and start a family was seen as respectable in his era, though odd today. **In simple terms:** He wanted land and a family, which was respectable then. Key Takeaway Recognize how societal values shift over time. Themes ambition social norms class family historical context Mood reflective nostalgic Type historical cultural When to use this quote - career planning - family planning - historical research - cultural analysis Key Concepts social status legacy personal identity Questions to Reflect On - How do your personal goals reflect your era's values? - What ambitions seem outdated now? A Different Perspective Modern aspirations may differ, making the goal less relevant today. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Landed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-landed-6034403/) [Ayrton Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ayrton-ambition-6034402/) [Ayrton Laudable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ayrton-laudable-6034404/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Laudable Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laudable-ambition-1494674/) ## Related quotes > [“I wish to show that elegance is inferior to virtue, that the first object of laudable ambition is to obtain a character as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/i-wish-to-show-that-elegance-is-inferior-to-virtue-that-the-first/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [Worldly ambition is founded on pride or envy, but emulation, or laudable ambition, is actually founded in humility; for it evidently implies that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/worldly-ambition-is-founded-on-pride-or-envy-but-emulation-or/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [Never, I say, had a country so many openings to happiness as this… Her cause was good. Her principles just and liberal. Her temper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/never-i-say-had-a-country-so-many-openings-to-happiness-as-this-her/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) ## More by D.E. Stevenson > [“I can’t be doing with people that are not exactly what they seem.’ Mamie was”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/i-can-t-be-doing-with-people-that-are-not-exactly-what-they-seem/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“We agree that it is too late to think of visiting Cousin Ellen today – in fact if we do not hurry home we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/we-agree-that-it-is-too-late-to-think-of-visiting-cousin-ellen-today/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“Spend the afternoon with Miss H. looking over Bryan’s school clothes, and compile a large list of what he requires, which will probably have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/spend-the-afternoon-with-miss-h-looking-over-bryan-s-school-clothes/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“Some people’s elegance was only skin-deep, scrape off a little bit of the veneer and you got the real wood—common”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/some-people-s-elegance-was-only-skin-deep-scrape-off-a-little-bit-of/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“Why do I always want to appear more clever than I really am when Nora is anywhere about? Am much distressed at this discovery,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/why-do-i-always-want-to-appear-more-clever-than-i-really-am-when-nora/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [To have all my dear ones together under one roof - that is all I ask of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/to-have-all-my-dear-ones-together-under-one-roof-that-is-all-i-ask-of/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [Prayer did not come easily to me for I always feel that prayer is a silent things, and opening of the heart. To ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/prayer-did-not-come-easily-to-me-for-i-always-feel-that-prayer-is-a/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“In the course of my wanderings I have started life anew in many places, and in every place the same thing happens: at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/in-the-course-of-my-wanderings-i-have-started-life-anew-in-many/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [It is curious, isn't it, that things you know well never look dirty and dilapidated-other people's old furniture looks shabby and moth-eaten. “I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/it-is-curious-isn-t-it-that-things-you-know-well-never-look-dirty-and/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“Anne could not explain. It was always difficult for Anne to explain things even when they were clear to herself, and in this case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/anne-could-not-explain-it-was-always-difficult-for-anne-to-explain/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“As long as skies are blue and fields are green Evening must usher night, night urge the morrow, Month follow month with woe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/as-long-as-skies-are-blue-and-fields-are-green-evening-must-usher/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“What fools the public were! They were exactly like sheep…thought Mr. Abbott sleepily…following each other’s lead, neglecting one book and buying another just because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/what-fools-the-public-were-they-were-exactly-like-sheep-thought-mr/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [“but she told Aunt Bella everything else, and Aunt Bella listened enthralled. She nodded and sighed and asked the right questions in the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/but-she-told-aunt-bella-everything-else-and-aunt-bella-listened/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [One need never be dull as long as one has friends to help, gardens to enjoy and books in the long winter evenings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/one-need-never-be-dull-as-long-as-one-has-friends-to-help-gardens-to/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [There is something very appealing about a room which one occupied as a child; it brings back one's childhood more vividly than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-stevenson/there-is-something-very-appealing-about-a-room-which-one-occupied-as/) [D.E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) [Explore all 68 D.E. Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“From his earliest days William Ayrton’s ambition had been to become a landed gentleman and to found a family. 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