--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a means of variation from a normal…" description: "\"As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in childhood ought to have a certain value not to be classed under any fitness or unfitness of nat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg" --- # As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in… ![“As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in childhood ought to have a certain value not to be classed under any fitness or unfitness of natural selection; and especially scarlet fever affected boys seriously, both physically and in character, though they might through life puzzle…” quote by Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg) > “As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in childhood ought to have a certain value not to be classed under any fitness or unfitness of natural selection; and especially scarlet fever affected boys seriously, both physically and in character, though they might through life puzzle themselves to decide whether it had fitted or unfitted them for success.” [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood illness can shape character and future success, though its value is hard to classify biologically. **In simple terms:** Sickness can influence life outcomes. Key Takeaway Recognize adversity’s role in growth. Themes health development society Mood thoughtful analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - education - career planning - parenting - historical analysis Key Concepts evolutionary biology psychosocial development Questions to Reflect On - Did childhood illness affect your path? - How do we value adversity? A Different Perspective Not all illnesses have lasting positive effects; some cause lasting harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-ought-2175320/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Fitness Unfitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness-unfitness-2893780/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Puzzles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzles/) [Scarlet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarlet/) [Selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selection/) [Sickness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sickness/) [Sickness Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sickness-childhood-2893778/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) [Unfitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfitness-1128464/) [Unfitness Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfitness-natural-2893779/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Variation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variation/) ## Related quotes > [“This isn't how sickness was in childhood. A postponement. An excuse to grow up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/this-isn-t-how-sickness-was-in-childhood-a-postponement-an-excuse-to/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Childhood is, or has been, or ought to be, the great original adventure, a tale of privation, courage, constant vigilance, danger, and sometimes calamity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/childhood-is-or-has-been-or-ought-to-be-the-great-original-adventure/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Childhood ought to have at least a few entitlements that aren't entangled with utilitarian considerations. 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And this is breaking it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-gaughen/you-are-my-whole-heart-scarlet-and-this-is-breaking-it/) [A.C. Gaughen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-gaughen/) > [“No, I'm saving you from your psychotic step-mother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/no-i-m-saving-you-from-your-psychotic-step-mother/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [A tiny radish of passionate scarlet, tipped modestly in white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/a-tiny-radish-of-passionate-scarlet-tipped-modestly-in-white/) [Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [“And your plan is what?" Nate said as he and Scarlet followed after him. "You're just going to drive around until you see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-fine/and-your-plan-is-what-nate-said-as-he-and-scarlet-followed-after-him/) [Chelsea Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-fine/) > [A hundred years ago Hester Prynne of The Scarlet Letter was given an A for adultery; today she would rate no better than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-de-vries/a-hundred-years-ago-hester-prynne-of-the-scarlet-letter-was-given-an/) [Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/) > [“A study in scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon. 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He must have a helm to grasp, a course to steer, a port…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-american-president-resembles-the-commander-of-a-ship-at-sea-he/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The proof that a philosopher does not know what he is talking about is apt to sadden his followers before it reacts on himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-proof-that-a-philosopher-does-not-know-what-he-is-talking-about/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [No man should be in politics unless he would honestly rather not be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/no-man-should-be-in-politics-unless-he-would-honestly-rather-not-be/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [In the history of the United States, there is no continuity at all. You can cut through it anywhere and nothing on this side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/in-the-history-of-the-united-states-there-is-no-continuity-at-all-you/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Washington was no politician as we understand the word," replied Ratcliffe abruptly. "He stood outside of politics. The thing couldn't be done today. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/washington-was-no-politician-as-we-understand-the-word-replied/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Power when wielded by abnormal energy is the most serious of facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/power-when-wielded-by-abnormal-energy-is-the-most-serious-of-facts/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [If I grapple with sin in my own strength, the devil knows he may go to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/if-i-grapple-with-sin-in-my-own-strength-the-devil-knows-he-may-go-to/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [All State education is a sort of dynamo machine for polarizing the popular mind; for turning and holding its lines of force in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/all-state-education-is-a-sort-of-dynamo-machine-for-polarizing-the/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [You may cut off the heads of every rich man now living--of every statesman--every literary, and every scientific authority, without in the least changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/you-may-cut-off-the-heads-of-every-rich-man-now-living-of-every/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [History is the most aristocratic of all literary pursuits, because it obliges the historian to be rich as well as educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/history-is-the-most-aristocratic-of-all-literary-pursuits-because-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The philosopher says--I am, and the church scouts his philosophy. She answers:--No! you are NOT, you have no existence of your own. You were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-philosopher-says-i-am-and-the-church-scouts-his-philosophy-she/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) [Explore all 230 Henry Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. 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My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) [Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in childhood ought to have a certain value not to be classed under any fitness or unfitness of natural selection; and especially scarlet fever affected boys seriously, both physically and in character, though they might through life puzzle themselves to decide whether it had fitted or unfitted them for success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-type-sickness-in-childhood/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-type-sickness-in-childhood/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/henry-adams-1542_affected_as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-ty_2722651.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a means of variation from a normal type, sickness in childhood ought to have a certain value not to be…” — Henry Adams", "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": "Henry Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a means of variation from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-type-sickness-in-childhood/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/as-a-means-of-variation-from-a-normal-type-sickness-in-childhood/#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 } } ] } ```