--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: for as health is but one thing, and has…" description: "\"“for as health is but one thing, and has been always the same, whereas diseases are by thousands, besides new and daily additions, so all the virtues t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg" --- # for as health is but one thing, and has been always the… ![“for as health is but one thing, and has been always the same, whereas diseases are by thousands, besides new and daily additions, so all the virtues that have been ever in mankind are to be counted upon a few fingers, but his follies and vices are innumerable, and time adds hourly to the heap.” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg) > ““for as health is but one thing, and has been always the same, whereas diseases are by thousands, besides new and daily additions, so all the virtues that have been ever in mankind are to be counted upon a few fingers, but his follies and vices are innumerable, and time adds hourly to the heap. ”” [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Health is constant while diseases multiply, making virtues rare and vices abundant, worsening over time. **In simple terms:** Health stays same, diseases increase, virtues scarce, vices many. Key Takeaway Recognize scarcity of virtue, guard against growing vices. Themes health morality human nature Mood reflective serious Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal ethics - public health policy - education - community building Key Concepts virtue scarcity vice proliferation temporal accumulation Questions to Reflect On - How can societies promote virtue amid proliferating vices? - What personal habits counteract accumulating vices? A Different Perspective Virtues are few, vices many; societal focus needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diseases Thousands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diseases-thousands-6085646/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-thing-1343123/) [Mankind Counted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-counted-6085647/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Virtues Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues-mankind-992440/) ## Related quotes > [“when the highest virtues of mankind cannot be accomplished fully through voluntary actions, the greater good demands that the government compel people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-w-southwick/when-the-highest-virtues-of-mankind-cannot-be-accomplished-fully/) [S.W. Southwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-w-southwick/) > [Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/truthfulness-is-the-foundation-of-all-the-virtues-of-mankind/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [“If you consider what are called the virtues in mankind, you will find their growth is assisted by education and cultivation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophon/if-you-consider-what-are-called-the-virtues-in-mankind-you-will-find/) [Xenophon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophon/) > [Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/health-is-the-thing-that-makes-you-feel-that-now-is-the-best-time-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Health is the one thing we all have in common regardless of race, creed, or income. Everyone should participate in creating the solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-heineman/health-is-the-one-thing-we-all-have-in-common-regardless-of-race/) [Matthew Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-heineman/) > [For me, any kind of thing that has stood for 100 years tells me of the health of that thing. So, cinema completing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-kashyap/for-me-any-kind-of-thing-that-has-stood-for-100-years-tells-me-of-the/) [Anurag Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-kashyap/) > [“Health is the thing that makes you feel like that now is the best time of the year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-p-adams/health-is-the-thing-that-makes-you-feel-like-that-now-is-the-best/) [Franklin P. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-p-adams/) > [When it comes to matters of health, it's the one thing you can't control. Being healthy is the crown that only the sick can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/when-it-comes-to-matters-of-health-it-s-the-one-thing-you-can-t/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [I'm always on the go, which means my health has often been the thing that suffers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-mcgovern/i-m-always-on-the-go-which-means-my-health-has-often-been-the-thing/) [Steph McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-mcgovern/) > [The best doctors in the world are Doctor Diet, Doctor Quiet, and Doctor Merryman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-doctors-in-the-world-are-doctor-diet-doctor-quiet-and-doctor/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) ## More by Jonathan Swift > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/he-said-he-knew-no-reason-why-those-who-entertain-opinions/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-maxim-i-know-in-this-life-is-to-drink-your-coffee-when-you/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-forward-critic-often-dupes-us-with-sham-quotations-peri-hupsos-and/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [May you live every day of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/may-you-live-every-day-of-your-life/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Ale is meat, drink and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/ale-is-meat-drink-and-cloth-it-will-make-a-cat-speak-and-a-wise-man/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [All fits of pleasure are balanced by an equal degree of pain or languor; it is like spending this year part of the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/all-fits-of-pleasure-are-balanced-by-an-equal-degree-of-pain-or/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/satire-is-a-sort-of-glass-wherein-beholders-do-generally-discover/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/when-a-great-genius-appears-in-the-world-you-may-know-him-by-this/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is toward individuals: for instance, I hate the tribe of lawyers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-have-ever-hated-all-nations-professions-and-communities-and-all-my/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [So endless and exorbitant are the desires of men that they will grasp at all, and can form no scheme of perfect happiness with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/so-endless-and-exorbitant-are-the-desires-of-men-that-they-will-grasp/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) [Explore all 535 Jonathan Swift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## More Doctor quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [A creative space is an important thing. There are so many studios that feel like doctor's offices in Nashville. I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) [John Randolph of Roanoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-randolph-of-roanoke/) > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Thankfully, I found a doctor at Presbyterian Hospital in New York, Scott Hammer, who diagnosed my chronic fatigue as the Epstein-Barr virus, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-halpern/thankfully-i-found-a-doctor-at-presbyterian-hospital-in-new-york/) [Tucker Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-halpern/) > [My parents are so supportive of whatever we want to do and completely nurtured that, and they're so proud of that as well. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/my-parents-are-so-supportive-of-whatever-we-want-to-do-and-completely/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [Before we can wave the handkerchief, we have to have a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/before-we-can-wave-the-handkerchief-we-have-to-have-a-cold/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) [Browse all 3,922 Doctor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“for as health is but one thing, and has been always the same, whereas diseases are by thousands, besides new and daily additions, so all the virtues that have been ever in mankind are to be counted upon a few fingers, but his follies and vices are innumerable, and time adds hourly to the heap. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Swift" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-been-always-the-same-whereas/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doctor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-been-always-the-same-whereas/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/jonathan-swift-433_doctor_for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-b_2413723.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“for as health is but one thing, and has been always the same, whereas diseases are by thousands, besides new…” — Jonathan Swift", "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": "Jonathan Swift", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“for as health is but one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-been-always-the-same-whereas/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/for-as-health-is-but-one-thing-and-has-been-always-the-same-whereas/#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 } } ] } ```