---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps to be able to learn things…"
description: "\"Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people...Lots of clever people have done harm an..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png"
---

#  Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't…

![“Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people...Lots of clever people have done harm and have been wicked.” quote by Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png)

> “Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people...Lots of clever people have done harm and have been wicked.”

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Intelligence alone is insufficient; kindness holds greater value for others, while cleverness can be misused.

**In simple terms:** Kindness matters more than cleverness, which can cause harm.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize kindness over cleverness in interactions.

Themes

ethics humanity intelligence kindness

Mood

thoughtful empathetic

Type

moral inspirational

When to use this quote

- leadership
- education
- community service
- friendship

Key Concepts

moral philosophy social impact psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you combine kindness with discernment?
- When does cleverness become harmful?

A Different Perspective

Kindness alone may be exploited without wisdom.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Clever People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-people/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [“Life isn’t always kind. It isn’t gentle and loving or sympathetic to the pains and sorrows of humanity. I, however, as an individual in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/life-isn-t-always-kind-it-isn-t-gentle-and-loving-or-sympathetic-to/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [“Life isn't kind, and we rarely get what we want out of it. We do the best we can, and we keep putting one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-allred/life-isn-t-kind-and-we-rarely-get-what-we-want-out-of-it-we-do-the/)

[Katherine Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-allred/)

> [We're all human, and growing up you learn that the world isn't always kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/we-re-all-human-and-growing-up-you-learn-that-the-world-isn-t-always/)

[Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/)

> [“The kind of bad I have for you isn't the kind that goes away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/the-kind-of-bad-i-have-for-you-isn-t-the-kind-that-goes-away/)

[Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/)

> [“Are you an Is there? or a There isn’t! kind of person? I’m more of an Is there isn’t? kind of guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/are-you-an-is-there-or-a-there-isn-t-kind-of-person-i-m-more-of-an-is/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I'm a sucker for sweetness. Intelligence, creativity and a sense of humor mean little to me if a person isn't also kind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/i-m-a-sucker-for-sweetness-intelligence-creativity-and-a-sense-of/)

[Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/)

> [I know what kind of crazy I am. But, this isn't that kind of crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-graham/i-know-what-kind-of-crazy-i-am-but-this-isn-t-that-kind-of-crazy/)

[Will Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-graham/)

> [Isn't there someone kind enough to come strangle me in my sleep?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-nosuke-akutagawa/isn-t-there-someone-kind-enough-to-come-strangle-me-in-my-sleep/)

[Ryūnosuke Akutagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-nosuke-akutagawa/)

> [I spend my days in an office in my house. There are things to be done that I don't have the skill set for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/i-spend-my-days-in-an-office-in-my-house-there-are-things-to-be-done/)

[Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/)

> [The key is when we make mistakes, we want to be able to correct them and we also want to be able to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/the-key-is-when-we-make-mistakes-we-want-to-be-able-to-correct-them/)

[Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/)

> [In the year 2000 an illiterate person will not be someone who can't read or write, but someone who is not able to learn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/in-the-year-2000-an-illiterate-person-will-not-be-someone-who-can-t/)

[Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/)

> [When I walk along with two others, from at least one I will be able to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-i-walk-along-with-two-others-from-at-least-one-i-will-be-able-to/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [I've been able to learn from fight to fight, and I've gained experience in each fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-bivol/i-ve-been-able-to-learn-from-fight-to-fight-and-i-ve-gained/)

[Dmitry Bivol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-bivol/)

> [From the beginning, I was able to learn a song by just hearing it, it is something that I've been blessed with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/from-the-beginning-i-was-able-to-learn-a-song-by-just-hearing-it-it/)

KK

> [“It’s through remembering that we’re able to learn about ourselves, to grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cheng/it-s-through-remembering-that-we-re-able-to-learn-about-ourselves-to/)

[Jack Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cheng/)

## More by Frances Hodgson Burnett

> [When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“What does it say?" asked my lord. "It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'--just what she used to say when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/what-does-it-say-asked-my-lord-it-says-good-night-god-keep-you-all/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [Somehow, something always happens just before things get to the very worst. It is as if Magic did it. If I could only just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/somehow-something-always-happens-just-before-things-get-to-the-very/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-were-as-real-as-sara-and-it-was-careless-of-them-not-to-come-out/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts- just mere thoughts- are as powerful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/one-of-the-new-things-people-began-to-find-out-in-the-last-century/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“I've seen the spring now and I'm going to see the summer. I'm going to see everything grow here. I'm going to grow here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-ve-seen-the-spring-now-and-i-m-going-to-see-the-summer-i-m-going-to/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“If she had cried and sobbed and seemed frightened, Miss Minchin might almost have had more patience with her. She was a woman who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/if-she-had-cried-and-sobbed-and-seemed-frightened-miss-minchin-might/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“I was thinking," she said. "Beg my pardon immediately," said Miss Minchin. "I will beg your pardon for laughing, if it was rude," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-was-thinking-she-said-beg-my-pardon-immediately-said-miss-minchin-i/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“She said that perhaps it was not so easy to be very rich; that if any one had so many things always, one might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/she-said-that-perhaps-it-was-not-so-easy-to-be-very-rich-that-if-any/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-am-sure-there-is-magic-in-everything-only-we-have-not-sense-enough/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“You don't know that you are saying these things to a princess, and that if I chose I could wave my hand and order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/you-don-t-know-that-you-are-saying-these-things-to-a-princess-and/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“Well, it is. One of her 'pretends' is that she is a princess. She plays it all the time—even in school. She says it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/well-it-is-one-of-her-pretends-is-that-she-is-a-princess-she-plays-it/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“They know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage and they are not, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-know-you-are-stronger-than-they-are-because-you-are-strong/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“Tom's Cabin, and she spent many hours acting out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/tom-s-cabin-and-she-spent-many-hours-acting-out/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [... justice is mercy's highest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/justice-is-mercy-s-highest-self/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

[Explore all 296 Frances Hodgson Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

Greg Perry

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [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/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

Browse all 17,257 Able quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people...Lots of clever people have done harm and have been wicked.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frances Hodgson Burnett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quickly-isn-t-everything-to-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quickly-isn-t-everything-to-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_able_perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quick_2663460.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other…” — Frances Hodgson Burnett",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Frances Hodgson Burnett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Perhaps to be able to learn...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quickly-isn-t-everything-to-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/perhaps-to-be-able-to-learn-things-quickly-isn-t-everything-to-be/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
