--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So long as the mental and moral…" description: "\"So long as the mental and moral instruction of man is left solely in the hands of hired servants of the public--let them be teachers of religion, profe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/frances-wright-9487_book_so-long-as-the-mental-and-moral-instruct_3196737.jpg" --- # So long as the mental and moral instruction of man is left… ![“So long as the mental and moral instruction of man is left solely in the hands of hired servants of the public--let them be teachers of religion, professors of colleges, authors of books, or editors of journals or periodical publications, dependent upon their literary incomes for their daily…” quote by Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/frances-wright-9487_book_so-long-as-the-mental-and-moral-instruct_3196737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/frances-wright-9487_book_so-long-as-the-mental-and-moral-instruct_3196737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/frances-wright-9487_book_so-long-as-the-mental-and-moral-instruct_3196737.jpg) > “So long as the mental and moral instruction of man is left solely in the hands of hired servants of the public--let them be teachers of religion, professors of colleges, authors of books, or editors of journals or periodical publications, dependent upon their literary incomes for their daily bread, so long shall we hear but half the truth; and well if we hear so much. Our teachers, political, scientific, moral, or religious; our writers, grave or gay, are compelled to administer to our prejudices and to perpetuate our ignorance.” [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When education and media are controlled by those dependent on public funding, they often present only partial truths, reinforcing existing biases and ignorance. **In simple terms:** Publicly funded educators and media may give incomplete views, sustaining bias. Key Takeaway Seek diverse sources and critical thinking. Themes education media bias authority truth Mood skeptical concerned Type critical analytical When to use this quote - school curricula - news consumption - policy debates - academic research - public discourse Key Concepts public funding information control intellectual independence Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals verify information beyond mainstream sources? - What responsibilities do funded institutions have to truth? A Different Perspective Limited perspectives can still dominate despite multiple voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administer Prejudices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administer-prejudices-5918110/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Compelled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compelled/) [Daily bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-bread/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graves/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Instruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruction/) [Journal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journal/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Let Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-teachers-3036796/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Instruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-instruction-4118700/) [Perpetuate Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetuate-ignorance-1763447/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Publication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publication/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Teachers Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers-religion-432928/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [If they exert it not for good, they will for evil; if they advance not knowledge, they will perpetuate ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/if-they-exert-it-not-for-good-they-will-for-evil-if-they-advance-not/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [“There are many ways of attaining godhood, say teachers of religion. Acharya Rajneesh disagrees and says there is only one way, and sexual intercourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/there-are-many-ways-of-attaining-godhood-say-teachers-of-religion/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-their-struggle-for-the-ethical-good-teachers-of-religion-must-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [What is less often noticed is that it is precisely the kind of moral instruction that parents are constantly trying to give their children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-less-often-noticed-is-that-it-is-precisely-the-kind-of-moral/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don’t read biographies for moral instruction, or for a history lesson. I want to know what people are saying about me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bauvard/i-don-t-read-biographies-for-moral-instruction-or-for-a-history/) [Bauvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bauvard/) > [I have come to believe ... that the stage may do more than teach, that much of our current moral instruction will not endure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/i-have-come-to-believe-that-the-stage-may-do-more-than-teach-that/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal god, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-their-struggle-for-the-ethical-good-teachers-of-religion-must-have-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“There's always moral instruction whether the writer inserts it deliberately or not. The least effective moral instruction in fiction is that which is consciously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/there-s-always-moral-instruction-whether-the-writer-inserts-it/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/jesus-does-not-give-recipes-that-show-the-way-to-god-as-other/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Now I realize that I have to let everyone take what they have to take from the film. No matter what I think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-falardeau/now-i-realize-that-i-have-to-let-everyone-take-what-they-have-to-take/) [Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-falardeau/) > [Let the teachers teach English and I will teach baseball. There is a lot of people in the United States who say isn't, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-dean/let-the-teachers-teach-english-and-i-will-teach-baseball-there-is-a/) [Dizzy Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-dean/) > [Let the teachers learn the kids English. Ol' Diz will learn the kids baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-dean/let-the-teachers-learn-the-kids-english-ol-diz-will-learn-the-kids/) [Dizzy Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-dean/) > [“Wouldn't it be good if we could let teachers do what they do best - teach. Not judge each child on a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-gardner/wouldn-t-it-be-good-if-we-could-let-teachers-do-what-they-do-best/) [Sally Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-gardner/) > [We get through life and this is part of the education process also. In real life, we meet bad bosses and good bosses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-falardeau/we-get-through-life-and-this-is-part-of-the-education-process-also-in/) [Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-falardeau/) > [We're not spending enough money, but probably we let the teachers unions set curriculas which don't teach them the right things. There's not emphasis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/we-re-not-spending-enough-money-but-probably-we-let-the-teachers/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) ## More by Frances Wright > [... the happiness of a people is the only rational object of government, and the only object for which a people, free to choose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-happiness-of-a-people-is-the-only-rational-object-of-government/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [I am neither Jew nor Gentile, Mahomedan nor Theist; I am but a member of the human family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/i-am-neither-jew-nor-gentile-mahomedan-nor-theist-i-am-but-a-member/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... so far from entrenching human conduct within the gentle barriers of peace and love, religion has ever been, and now is, the deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/so-far-from-entrenching-human-conduct-within-the-gentle-barriers-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [If they exert it not for good, they will for evil; if they advance not knowledge, they will perpetuate ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/if-they-exert-it-not-for-good-they-will-for-evil-if-they-advance-not/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Moral truth, resting entirely upon the ascertained consequences of actions, supposes a process of observation and reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/moral-truth-resting-entirely-upon-the-ascertained-consequences-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [It is in vain that we would circumscribe the power of one half of our race, and that half by far the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-in-vain-that-we-would-circumscribe-the-power-of-one-half-of-our/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [However novel it may appear, I shall venture the assertion, that, until women assume the place in society which good sense and good feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/however-novel-it-may-appear-i-shall-venture-the-assertion-that-until/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [You have heard of, and studied various systems of philosophy; but real philosophy is opposed to all systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/you-have-heard-of-and-studied-various-systems-of-philosophy-but-real/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Credulity is always a ridiculous, often a dangerous failing: it has made of many a clever man, a fool; and of many a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/credulity-is-always-a-ridiculous-often-a-dangerous-failing-it-has/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Instead of establishing facts, we have to overthrow errors; instead of ascertaining what is, we have to chase from our imaginations what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/instead-of-establishing-facts-we-have-to-overthrow-errors-instead-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... we have broken down the self-respecting spirit of man with nursery tales and priestly threats, and we dare to assert, that inproportion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/we-have-broken-down-the-self-respecting-spirit-of-man-with-nursery/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [it is not that religion is merely useless, it is mischievous. It is mischievous by its idle terrors; it is mischievous by its false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-not-that-religion-is-merely-useless-it-is-mischievous-it-is/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Equality! Where is it, if not in education? Equal rights! They cannot exist without equality of instruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/equality-where-is-it-if-not-in-education-equal-rights-they-cannot/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [The best road to correct reasoning is by physical science; the way to trace effects to causes is through physical science; the only corrective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-best-road-to-correct-reasoning-is-by-physical-science-the-way-to/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [He who lives in the single exercise of his mental faculties, however usefully or curiously directed, is equally an imperfect animal with the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/he-who-lives-in-the-single-exercise-of-his-mental-faculties-however/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) [Explore all 72 Frances Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So long as the mental and moral instruction of man is left solely in the hands of hired servants of the public--let them be teachers of religion, professors of colleges, authors of books, or editors of journals or periodical publications, dependent upon their literary incomes for their daily bread, so long shall we hear but half the truth; and well if we hear so much. 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