--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where is the reward of virtue? and what…" description: "\"Where is the reward of virtue? and what recompense has nature provided for such important sacrifices as those of life and fortune, which we must often ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/david-hume-538_celestial_where-is-the-reward-of-virtue-and-what-r_1946196.jpg" --- # Where is the reward of virtue? and what recompense has… ![“Where is the reward of virtue? and what recompense has nature provided for such important sacrifices as those of life and fortune, which we must often make to it? O sons of earth! Are ye ignorant of the value of this celestial mistress? And do ye meanly inquire for her portion, when ye observe her…” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/david-hume-538_celestial_where-is-the-reward-of-virtue-and-what-r_1946196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/david-hume-538_celestial_where-is-the-reward-of-virtue-and-what-r_1946196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/david-hume-538_celestial_where-is-the-reward-of-virtue-and-what-r_1946196.jpg) > “Where is the reward of virtue? and what recompense has nature provided for such important sacrifices as those of life and fortune, which we must often make to it? O sons of earth! Are ye ignorant of the value of this celestial mistress? And do ye meanly inquire for her portion, when ye observe her genuine beauty?” [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nature rewards virtue, yet its value is often unrecognized. **In simple terms:** Virtue’s reward is unclear. Key Takeaway Seek intrinsic virtue. Themes virtue reward nature philosophy Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal ethics - public policy - environmental stewardship - spiritual practice Key Concepts ethics metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you without external reward? - How do you recognize nature’s subtle rewards? A Different Perspective Reward may be delayed or unseen. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celestial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial/) [Celestial Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial-mistress-3131395/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Genuine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genuine/) [Ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Portions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portions/) [Recompense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recompense/) [Reward Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward-virtue-444153/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sacrifices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifices/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Value Celestial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-celestial-3131396/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [The heroes in paganism correspond exactly to the saints in popery, and holy dervises in MAHOMETANISM. The place of, HERCULES, THESEUS, HECTOR, ROMULUS, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-heroes-in-paganism-correspond-exactly-to-the-saints-in-popery-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Life is the reward of virtue. And happiness is the goal and reward of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/life-is-the-reward-of-virtue-and-happiness-is-the-goal-and-reward-of/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-only-reward-of-virtue-is-virtue-the-only-way-to-have-a-friend-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Honor is the reward of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/honor-is-the-reward-of-virtue/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Virtue is not an end in itself. Virtue is not its own reward or sacrificial fodder for the reward of evil. Life is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/virtue-is-not-an-end-in-itself-virtue-is-not-its-own-reward-or/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Blessedness is not the reward of virtue but virtue itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/blessedness-is-not-the-reward-of-virtue-but-virtue-itself/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“Good is good in the final hour, in the deepest pit – without hope, without witness, without reward. Virtue is only virtue in extremis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/good-is-good-in-the-final-hour-in-the-deepest-pit-without-hope/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [No matter how hard a man may labor, some woman is always in the background of his mind. She is the one reward of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/no-matter-how-hard-a-man-may-labor-some-woman-is-always-in-the/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [“For when once people have begun to believe that prosperity is the reward of virtue, their next calamity is obvious. If prosperity is regarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/for-when-once-people-have-begun-to-believe-that-prosperity-is-the/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [You want to be paid as well, you virtuous! You want reward for virtue, and heaven for earth, and eternity for your today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-want-to-be-paid-as-well-you-virtuous-you-want-reward-for-virtue/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The only reward of virtue is virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-only-reward-of-virtue-is-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Happiness is not the reward of virtue, but is virtue itself; nor do we delight in happiness because we restrain from our lusts; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-not-the-reward-of-virtue-but-is-virtue-itself-nor-do-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is the reward of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-is-the-reward-of-virtue/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Vice is its own reward. It is virtue which, if it is to be marketed with consumer appeal, must carry Green Shield stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/vice-is-its-own-reward-it-is-virtue-which-if-it-is-to-be-marketed/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Happiness cannot be the reward of virtue; it must be the intelligible consequence of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/happiness-cannot-be-the-reward-of-virtue-it-must-be-the-intelligible/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## More by David Hume > [“Beauty in things exists in the mind that contemplates them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/beauty-in-things-exists-in-the-mind-that-contemplates-them/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-impossible-for-us-to-think-of-any-thing-which-we-have-not/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/all-morality-depends-upon-our-sentiments-and-when-any-action-or/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. 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Out in the depths of space the great celestial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-robert-harrison/the-stars-begin-to-fade-like-guttering-candles-and-are-snuffed-out/) [Edward Robert Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-robert-harrison/) > [A hidden spark of the dream sleeps In the forest and waits In the celestial spheres of the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-hidden-spark-of-the-dream-sleeps-in-the-forest-and-waits-in-the/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [What does it mean to be a Saint? In the Lord's Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-l-cook/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-saint-in-the-lord-s-church-the-members-are/) [Quentin L. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-l-cook/) > [Even if I knew nothing of the atoms, I would venture to assert on the evidence of the celestial phenomena themselves, supported by many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/even-if-i-knew-nothing-of-the-atoms-i-would-venture-to-assert-on-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) > [Even broken in spirit as he is, no one can feel more deeply than he does the beauties of nature. 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