--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature does not capriciously scatter her…" description: "\"Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_apples_nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her_517837.jpg" --- # Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden… ![“Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, and uplifts him whom she would inform. The apple that she drops at the feet of Newton is but a coy invitation to follow her to the stars.” quote by Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_apples_nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her_517837.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_apples_nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her_517837.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_apples_nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her_517837.jpg) > “Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, and uplifts him whom she would inform. The apple that she drops at the feet of Newton is but a coy invitation to follow her to the stars.” [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nature offers opportunities as tasks, rewarding effort and curiosity rather than passive entitlement. **In simple terms:** Nature gives tasks, not gifts, to those who work. Key Takeaway Seek challenges, not easy rewards. Themes nature effort reward curiosity Mood inspired reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - scientific inquiry - personal growth - problem solving - innovation Key Concepts Opportunity task invitation Questions to Reflect On - Do you wait for gifts or pursue tasks? - How does effort change your view of opportunity? A Different Perspective Hard work is required to reap nature’s gifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Invitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invitations/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Pet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pet/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Uplifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uplifting/) ## Related quotes > [Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-kalam/adversity-always-presents-opportunities-for-introspection/) [Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-kalam/) > [“This was one lesson that the war taught me - that every event in time presents opportunities that are recognizable only to those with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/this-was-one-lesson-that-the-war-taught-me-that-every-event-in-time/) [F. Sionil José](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/) > [Art does not imitate nature, but founds itself on the study of nature, takes from nature the selections which best accord with its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/art-does-not-imitate-nature-but-founds-itself-on-the-study-of-nature/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“Nature does nothing uselessly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/nature-does-nothing-uselessly/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“There is nothing in man or nature that does not ask questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-bill-pepper/there-is-nothing-in-man-or-nature-that-does-not-ask-questions/) Curtis Bill Pepper > [How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/how-strange-that-nature-does-not-knock-and-yet-does-not-intrude/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“For there is not so complete and perfect a part that we know of nature, which does not owe the being it has, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oakeshott/for-there-is-not-so-complete-and-perfect-a-part-that-we-know-of/) [Michael Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oakeshott/) > [Nature does not turn out her work according to a single pattern; she prides herself upon her power of variation...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/nature-does-not-turn-out-her-work-according-to-a-single-pattern-she/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Nature has no reverence towards life. Nature treats life as though it were the most valueless thing in the world… Nature does not act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-schrodinger/nature-has-no-reverence-towards-life-nature-treats-life-as-though-it/) [Erwin Schrodinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-schrodinger/) > [The wonder of nature does not become smaller because one cannot measure it by the standards of human moral and human aims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-wonder-of-nature-does-not-become-smaller-because-one-cannot/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nature does not proceed by leaps and bounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nature-does-not-proceed-by-leaps-and-bounds/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [History goes out of control almost as often as nature does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/history-goes-out-of-control-almost-as-often-as-nature-does/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Nature does not pile up 1000 hogs, then hope for the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-dye-gussow/nature-does-not-pile-up-1000-hogs-then-hope-for-the-best/) Joan Dye Gussow > [One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things but moves in harmony with the present moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/one-who-lives-in-accordance-with-nature-does-not-go-against-the-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Mother Nature does not do bailouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/mother-nature-does-not-do-bailouts/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## More by Edwin Percy Whipple > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The minister's brain is often the "poor-box" of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-minister-s-brain-is-often-the-poor-box-of-the-church/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A true teacher should penetrate to whatever is vital in his pupil, and develop that by the light and heat of his own intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-true-teacher-should-penetrate-to-whatever-is-vital-in-his-pupil-and/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Felicity, not fluency of language, is a merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/felicity-not-fluency-of-language-is-a-merit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A politician weakly and amiably in the right is no match for a politician tenaciously and pugnaciously in the wrong. You cannot, by tying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-politician-weakly-and-amiably-in-the-right-is-no-match-for-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A thought embodied and embrained in fit words walks the earth a living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-thought-embodied-and-embrained-in-fit-words-walks-the-earth-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Nature and society are so replete with startling contrasts that wit often consists in the mere statement and comparison of facts, as when Hume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/nature-and-society-are-so-replete-with-startling-contrasts-that-wit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The bitterest satires and noblest eulogies on married life have come from poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-bitterest-satires-and-noblest-eulogies-on-married-life-have-come/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Genius is not a single power, but a combination of great powers. 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Armies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/as-men-neither-fear-nor-respect-what-has-been-made-contemptible-all/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [What a man does with his wealth depends upon his idea of happiness. Those who draw prizes in life are apt to spend tastelessly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/what-a-man-does-with-his-wealth-depends-upon-his-idea-of-happiness/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Genius may be almost defined as the faculty of acquiring poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/genius-may-be-almost-defined-as-the-faculty-of-acquiring-poverty/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) [Explore all 77 Edwin Percy Whipple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. If I'm at his house, I don't like to take food from him, if it's in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-a-friend-who-is-a-juggler-if-i-m-at-his-house-i-don-t-like-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. You get seduced by an 11-pound apple that turns out to be a fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jad-abumrad/therein-lies-the-rub-of-a-place-like-berkeley-bowl-you-get-seduced-by/) [Jad Abumrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jad-abumrad/) > [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/) [D. H. 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