--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: . . . he would perhaps have known that to…" description: "\"“. . . he would perhaps have known that to try too hard to make people good, is one way to make them worse; that the only way to make them good is to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/george-macdonald-295_beam_he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try_1950311.png" --- # . . . he would perhaps have known that to try too hard to… ![“. . . he would perhaps have known that to try too hard to make people good, is one way to make them worse; that the only way to make them good is to be good -- remembering well the beam and the mote; that the time for speaking comes rarely, the time for being never departs.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/george-macdonald-295_beam_he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try_1950311.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/george-macdonald-295_beam_he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try_1950311.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/george-macdonald-295_beam_he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try_1950311.png) > ““. . . he would perhaps have known that to try too hard to make people good, is one way to make them worse; that the only way to make them good is to be good -- remembering well the beam and the mote; that the time for speaking comes rarely, the time for being never departs.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trying to force goodness on others can backfire; genuine goodness arises from personal example and humility. **In simple terms:** Forceful moralizing harms; personal virtue inspires. Key Takeaway Lead by example, speak sparingly. Themes morality humility leadership Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - management - mentorship - community building Key Concepts virtue ethics self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How can you model the behavior you wish to see? - When is silence more powerful than advice? A Different Perspective If you push too hard, people may resist or act worse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beam/) [Good Remembering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-remembering-1949253/) [Make Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-good/) [Remembering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering/) [Remembering Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering-beam-3160460/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Try hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-hard/) ## Related quotes > [To try too hard to make people good is one way to make them worse. 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No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Beam quotes > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [Letters crossing in the post, unfamiliar tunes heard three times in one day, the way that blows of fate descend upon the same bowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/letters-crossing-in-the-post-unfamiliar-tunes-heard-three-times-in/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I was really interested in this ability for others to create virtual memories for us. 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