--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only passions, and great passions, can…" description: "\"Only passions, and great passions, can raise the soul to great things. Without them there is no sublimity, either in morals or in creativity. Art retur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/denis-diderot-1536_art_only-passions-and-great-passions-can-rai_1926922.png" --- # Only passions, and great passions, can raise the soul to… ![“Only passions, and great passions, can raise the soul to great things. Without them there is no sublimity, either in morals or in creativity. Art returns to infancy, and virtue becomes small- minded.” quote by Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/denis-diderot-1536_art_only-passions-and-great-passions-can-rai_1926922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/denis-diderot-1536_art_only-passions-and-great-passions-can-rai_1926922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/denis-diderot-1536_art_only-passions-and-great-passions-can-rai_1926922.png) > “Only passions, and great passions, can raise the soul to great things. Without them there is no sublimity, either in morals or in creativity. Art returns to infancy, and virtue becomes small- minded.” [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great passions elevate moral and creative achievement; without them, art and virtue shrink. **In simple terms:** Passion drives greatness; without it, we become small. Key Takeaway Cultivate deep passions. Themes morality creativity passion Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic endeavors - ethical decisions - personal development - leadership Key Concepts Existentialism human potential Questions to Reflect On - What passions can you nurture? - How do you balance passion with practicality? A Different Perspective Passion alone may not guarantee success; discipline matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Great passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-passion/) [Great Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-passions-998350/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Infancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infancy/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morals Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals-creativity-2991623/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions/) [Passions Raise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions-raise-2313084/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Raise Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raise-soul-2391838/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Sublimity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sublimity/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [... People with great passions, people who accomplish great deeds, people who possess strong feelings, even people with great minds and a strong personality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-with-great-passions-people-who-accomplish-great-deeds-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of my great passions is the collection of historical trivia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-abbey/one-of-my-great-passions-is-the-collection-of-historical-trivia/) [Lynn Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-abbey/) > [Great passions are incurable diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/great-passions-are-incurable-diseases/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Great passions may either bring great victories or great sorrows! In both cases, it is always a great privilege to have great passions!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/great-passions-may-either-bring-great-victories-or-great-sorrows-in/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Great passions are for the great of soul, and great events can be seen only by those who are on a level with them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/great-passions-are-for-the-great-of-soul-and-great-events-can-be-seen/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Traveling is one of my great passions and something I do a lot of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-lloyd/traveling-is-one-of-my-great-passions-and-something-i-do-a-lot-of/) [Sabrina Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-lloyd/) > [The great things in life are what they seem to be. And for that reason, strange as it may sound to you, often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-great-things-in-life-are-what-they-seem-to-be-and-for-that-reason/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/only-passions-great-passions-can-elevate-the-soul-to-great-things/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [If a picture, which is but a mute representation of an object, can give such pleasure, what cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heloise/if-a-picture-which-is-but-a-mute-representation-of-an-object-can-give/) [Heloise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heloise/) > [Only passions can raise a man above the level of the animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-maurois/only-passions-can-raise-a-man-above-the-level-of-the-animal/) [Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-maurois/) > [Whenever anyone has offended me I try to raise my soul so high the offense cannot reach it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/whenever-anyone-has-offended-me-i-try-to-raise-my-soul-so-high-the/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [ \[I\]n order to raise a soul to the highest perfection, He allows it to pass through dryness, brambles, and combats, causing it thereby to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-n-order-to-raise-a-soul-to-the-highest-perfection-he-allows-it-to/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/whenever-anyone-has-offended-me-i-try-to-raise-my-soul-so-high-that/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [“He seemed to have established in his mind an affinity between the two great passions of his life – pale ale and revolution –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/he-seemed-to-have-established-in-his-mind-an-affinity-between-the-two/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [Those that have had great passions esteem themselves for the rest of their lives fortunate and unfortunate in being cured of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-that-have-had-great-passions-esteem-themselves-for-the-rest-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More by Denis Diderot > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One declaims endlessly against the passions; one imputes all of man's suffering to them. One forgets that they are also the source of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-declaims-endlessly-against-the-passions-one-imputes-all-of-man-s/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Time, matter, space - all, it may be, are no more than a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/time-matter-space-all-it-may-be-are-no-more-than-a-point/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/we-are-far-more-liable-to-catch-the-vices-than-the-virtues-of-our/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One composition is meagre, though it has many figures; another is rich, though it has few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-composition-is-meagre-though-it-has-many-figures-another-is-rich/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [The world is the house of the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/the-world-is-the-house-of-the-strong/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“One swallows the lie that flatters, but sips the bitter truth drop by drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-swallows-the-lie-that-flatters-but-sips-the-bitter-truth-drop-by/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is less harm to be suffered in being mad among madmen than in being sane all by oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-less-harm-to-be-suffered-in-being-mad-among-madmen-than-in/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Integrity is the evidence of all civil virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/integrity-is-the-evidence-of-all-civil-virtues/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/watch-out-for-the-fellow-who-talks-about-putting-things-in-order/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“Nie wiem, co to zasady, chyba że tak nazywamy prawidła, które przypisuje się innym, a nie sobie. Myślę tak, a nie umiałbym się powstrzymać…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/nie-wiem-co-to-zasady-chyba-e-tak-nazywamy-prawid-a-kt-re-przypisuje/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-no-good-father-who-would-want-to-resemble-our-heavenly-father/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Isn't it better to have men being ungrateful than to miss a chance to do good?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/isn-t-it-better-to-have-men-being-ungrateful-than-to-miss-a-chance-to/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [A nation which thinks that it is belief in God and not good law which makes people honest does not seem to me very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/a-nation-which-thinks-that-it-is-belief-in-god-and-not-good-law-which/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) [Explore all 210 Denis Diderot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. 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