--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like…" description: "\"Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber, never gives.\" — George Herbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg" --- # Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber… ![“Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber, never gives.” quote by George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg) > “Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber, never gives.” [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses timber metaphor to illustrate that a pure soul never gives away its strength. **In simple terms:** A virtuous soul remains steadfast like seasoned wood. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner strength. Themes morality spirituality resilience Mood reflective inspirational Type religious personal When to use this quote - personal development - spiritual practice - leadership training Key Concepts metaphor ethical virtue inner fortitude Questions to Reflect On - What does “never gives” mean in practice? - How can steadfastness coexist with adaptability? A Different Perspective May overlook flexibility needed in life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Seasoned Timber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seasoned-timber-4081971/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Sweet Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet-virtuous-4081970/) [Timber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timber/) [Timber Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timber-gives-4081972/) [Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous/) [Virtuous Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous-soul-2215955/) ## Related quotes > [Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like season'd timbered, never gives; But though the whole world turn to coal, Then chiefly lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-season-d-timbered-never-gives-but/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The man of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-man-of-virtuous-soul-commands-not-nor-obeys/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [For, in the language of Heraclitus, the virtuous soul is pure and unmixed light, springing from the body as a flash of lightning darts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/for-in-the-language-of-heraclitus-the-virtuous-soul-is-pure-and/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [I shall say, that I feel myself virtuous, because my soul is at rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/i-shall-say-that-i-feel-myself-virtuous-because-my-soul-is-at-rest/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Beauty has so many charms, one knows not how to speak against it; and when it happens that a graceful figure is the habitation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/beauty-has-so-many-charms-one-knows-not-how-to-speak-against-it-and/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [I feel virtuous because my soul is at ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/i-feel-virtuous-because-my-soul-is-at-ease/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a long lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/the-virtuous-soul-that-is-alone-and-without-a-master-is-like-a-long/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [It is generally supposed that where there is no QUOTATION, there will be found most originality; and as people like to lay out their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/it-is-generally-supposed-that-where-there-is-no-quotation-there-will/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [I imagine how hard it might be to walk down the runway. 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Tigers are being killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-carwardine/china-is-responsible-for-a-lot-of-the-major-conservation-issues-we-re/) [Mark Carwardine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-carwardine/) > [I think just vocally I have a little timber in my voice that God gave me that does work - it puts my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/i-think-just-vocally-i-have-a-little-timber-in-my-voice-that-god-gave/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) > [I pictured a low timber house with a shingled roof, caulked against storms, with blazing log fires inside and the walls lined with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/i-pictured-a-low-timber-house-with-a-shingled-roof-caulked-against/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [About five years ago, the courses we run in the Field Trials were 52 percent timber. The hawks live in trees, and the quail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/about-five-years-ago-the-courses-we-run-in-the-field-trials-were-52/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [The peace we seek, founded upon decent trust and cooperation among nations, can be fortified not by weapons of war but by wheat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-peace-we-seek-founded-upon-decent-trust-and-cooperation-among/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## More by George Herbert > [Sum up at night what thou hast done by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sum-up-at-night-what-thou-hast-done-by-day/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Beare with evill, and expect good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/beare-with-evill-and-expect-good/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [ In the house of a Fidler, all fiddle. \[In the house of the fiddler all fiddle.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-the-house-of-a-fidler-all-fiddle-in-the-house-of-the-fiddler-all/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [By all means use some time to be alone, salute thyself, see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-some-time-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Every one is weary, the poore in seeking, the rich in keeping, the good in learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/every-one-is-weary-the-poore-in-seeking-the-rich-in-keeping-the-good/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [He is a great Necromancer, for he asks counsel counsell of the Dead (i.e. books).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-is-a-great-necromancer-for-he-asks-counsel-counsell-of-the-dead-i/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [If all fooles had babies, wee should want fuell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/if-all-fooles-had-babies-wee-should-want-fuell/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Weight justly and sell dearely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/weight-justly-and-sell-dearely/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Could have recovered greenness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/could-have-recovered-greenness/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [In every country dogges bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-every-country-dogges-bite/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The back-doore robs the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-back-doore-robs-the-house/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [In cloths cheap handsomeness, doth bear the bell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-cloths-cheap-handsomeness-doth-bear-the-bell/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [ Spectacles are deaths Harquebuze. \[Spectacles are death's arquebuse.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/spectacles-are-deaths-harquebuze-spectacles-are-death-s-arquebuse/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [None saies his Garner is full.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/none-saies-his-garner-is-full/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) [Explore all 1,285 George Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [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/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) [Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber, never gives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seasoned-timber-never-gives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seasoned-timber-never-gives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/george-herbert-107_giving_only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seas_2894371.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only a sweet and virtuous soul, like seasoned timber, never gives.” — George Herbert", "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": "George Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only a sweet and virtuous soul,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seasoned-timber-never-gives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/only-a-sweet-and-virtuous-soul-like-seasoned-timber-never-gives/#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 } } ] } ```