--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever merit there is in anything that…" description: "\"Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my mother daily read me a part of the Bible a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg" --- # Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is… ![“Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my mother daily read me a part of the Bible and daily made me learn a part of it by heart.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg) > “Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my mother daily read me a part of the Bible and daily made me learn a part of it by heart.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer credits early biblical memorization for his literary merit, implying formative influence of childhood religious practice. **In simple terms:** Childhood Bible reading shaped his writing skill. Key Takeaway Recognize early influences on your abilities. Themes education influence writing Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal educational When to use this quote - personal growth - literary analysis - teaching - faith education Key Concepts cultural formation skill development Questions to Reflect On - How did that practice affect your style? - What other influences shaped you? A Different Perspective May overlook other factors like talent or effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-daily-562451/) [Bible reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-reading/) [Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dues/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Merit Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit-written-4075358/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-daily-4075359/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Read Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-bible/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [“Be rooted in Christ, read your Bible daily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/be-rooted-in-christ-read-your-bible-daily/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I read the bible daily...knowledge is power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-read-the-bible-daily-knowledge-is-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Until we learn to read the Bible as Story, we will not know how to get anything out of the Bible for daily living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-mcknight/until-we-learn-to-read-the-bible-as-story-we-will-not-know-how-to-get/) [Scot McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-mcknight/) > [What I read in the Bible seemed to me to be very much a part of daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/what-i-read-in-the-bible-seemed-to-me-to-be-very-much-a-part-of-daily/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Read the Bible daily. Make it part of your everyday business to read and meditate on some portion of God's Word. Gather your manna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/read-the-bible-daily-make-it-part-of-your-everyday-business-to-read/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [I am sorry for men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/i-am-sorry-for-men-who-do-not-read-the-bible-every-day-i-wonder-why/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“It's not the amount of Bible you read, it's the amount of Bible you believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-a-rodriguez/it-s-not-the-amount-of-bible-you-read-it-s-the-amount-of-bible-you/) [Carlos A. Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-a-rodriguez/) > [So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/so-great-is-my-veneration-for-the-bible-that-the-earlier-my-children/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“Which means, therefore, that our Bible reading is never just for seeing, never just for learning and doctrine. It is not even just for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/which-means-therefore-that-our-bible-reading-is-never-just-for-seeing/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-have-for-many-years-made-it-a-practice-to-read-through-the-bible/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [It is clear that there must be difficulties for us in a revelation such as the Bible. If someone were to hand me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/it-is-clear-that-there-must-be-difficulties-for-us-in-a-revelation/) [R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [I have always said that a studious perusal of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-always-said-that-a-studious-perusal-of-the-sacred-volume-will/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Bible reading is an education in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/bible-reading-is-an-education-in-itself/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [The Bible is a book that has been read more and examined less than any book that ever existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-bible-is-a-book-that-has-been-read-more-and-examined-less-than/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/there-are-more-sure-marks-of-authenticity-in-the-bible-than-in-any/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Bible 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/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my mother daily read me a part of the Bible and daily made me learn a part of it by heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ruskin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that-i-have-written-is-simply-due/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that-i-have-written-is-simply-due/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-ruskin-314_bible_whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that_1271195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my…” — John Ruskin", "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 Ruskin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever merit there is in anything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that-i-have-written-is-simply-due/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/whatever-merit-there-is-in-anything-that-i-have-written-is-simply-due/#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 } } ] } ```