---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a…"
description: "\"Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the character.\" — John Milton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png"
---

#  Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the…

![“Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the character.” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png)

> “Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the character.”

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

## About This Quote

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

Intellectual cleverness can be a mental strength, but when expressed in actions it may become deceitful.

**In simple terms:** Craftiness can be a mental virtue but a character flaw.

Key Takeaway

Balance intellect with integrity.

Themes

intellect morality character

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- leadership
- politics
- personal relationships
- creative work

Key Concepts

virtue ethics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- When does cleverness become unethical?
- How can one harness craftiness positively?

A Different Perspective

Cleverness can be misused for manipulation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Craftiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craftiness/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [My God, Sweetness beyond words, make bitter all the carnal comfort that draws me from love of the eternal and lures me to its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/my-god-sweetness-beyond-words-make-bitter-all-the-carnal-comfort-that/)

[Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/)

> [The death of Lincoln was a disaster for Christendom. There was no man in the United States great enough to wear his boots and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/the-death-of-lincoln-was-a-disaster-for-christendom-there-was-no-man/)

[Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/)

> [“The world is a busy place filled with many busy businesses, both the Godly and the ungodly. It means before you go on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-world-is-a-busy-place-filled-with-many-busy-businesses-both-the/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [If there were a god of New York, it would be the Greek's Hermes, the Roman's Mercury. He embodies New York qualities: the quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/if-there-were-a-god-of-new-york-it-would-be-the-greek-s-hermes-the/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [This fear of criticism displayed by the advocates of freedom of criticism cannot be attributed solely to craftiness. No, the majority of the Economists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/this-fear-of-criticism-displayed-by-the-advocates-of-freedom-of/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [Goddamn it, FEELING is what I like in art, not CRAFTINESS and the hiding of feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/goddamn-it-feeling-is-what-i-like-in-art-not-craftiness-and-the/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [To make a living, craftiness is better than learnedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-beaumarchais/to-make-a-living-craftiness-is-better-than-learnedness/)

[Pierre Beaumarchais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-beaumarchais/)

> [The zest for life of those unusual men and women who make a great zealous success of living is due more often in good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/the-zest-for-life-of-those-unusual-men-and-women-who-make-a-great/)

[Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/)

> [I spent my entire youth writing slowly with revisions and endless rehashing speculation and deleting and got so I was writing one sentence a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-spent-my-entire-youth-writing-slowly-with-revisions-and-endless/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [“The suicide committed by Sampson was partly determined by the craftiness of Delilah and partly decided by the disobedience of Sampson. Satan uses crafty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-suicide-committed-by-sampson-was-partly-determined-by-the/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Fortitude: That quality of mind which does not care what happens so long as it does not happen to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/fortitude-that-quality-of-mind-which-does-not-care-what-happens-so/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [What is important in meditation is the quality of the mind and the heart.It is not what you achieve, or what you say you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/what-is-important-in-meditation-is-the-quality-of-the-mind-and-the/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-things-you-think-about-determine-the-quality-of-your-mind-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The quality of life depends upon the quality of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navnit-bhalla/the-quality-of-life-depends-upon-the-quality-of-mind/)

Navnit Bhalla

> [“There are at least two ways to believe in the idea of quality. You can believe there's something ineffable going on within the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/there-are-at-least-two-ways-to-believe-in-the-idea-of-quality-you-can/)

[Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/)

## More by John Milton

> [Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-quarrels-oft-in-pleasing-concord-end/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-re-assembling-our-afflicted-powers-consult-how-we-may-henceforth/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [O nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-nightingale-that-on-yon-bloomy-spray-warblest-at-eve-when-all-the/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/new-presbyter-is-but-old-priest-writ-large/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/this-is-servitude-to-serve-th-unwise-or-him-who-hath-rebelled-against/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply With our own hands his office on ourselves; Why stand we longer shivering under fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/let-us-seek-death-or-he-not-found-supply-with-our-own-hands-his/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [They are the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and don't permit others to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/they-are-the-troublers-they-are-the-dividers-of-unity-who-neglect-and/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

[Explore all 966 John Milton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

## More Character quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/)

David Hudgins

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/)

[Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/)

[Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

[Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the character.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Milton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and-a-vice-in-the-character/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Character"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and-a-vice-in-the-character/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/john-milton-191_character_craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and_2304138.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Craftiness is a quality in the mind and a vice in the character.” — John Milton",
                "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": "John Milton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Craftiness is a quality in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and-a-vice-in-the-character/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/craftiness-is-a-quality-in-the-mind-and-a-vice-in-the-character/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
