--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If children had teachers for judgment and…" description: "\"If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just as they have for languages, if their memory was exercised less than their energy or their natu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/508/luc-de-clapiers-2035_character_if-children-had-teachers-for-judgment-an_2457822.png" --- # If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just… ![“If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just as they have for languages, if their memory was exercised less than their energy or their natural genius, if instead of deadening their vivacity of mind we tried to elevate the free scope and impulse of their souls, what might not result…” quote by Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/508/luc-de-clapiers-2035_character_if-children-had-teachers-for-judgment-an_2457822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/508/luc-de-clapiers-2035_character_if-children-had-teachers-for-judgment-an_2457822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/508/luc-de-clapiers-2035_character_if-children-had-teachers-for-judgment-an_2457822.png) > “If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just as they have for languages, if their memory was exercised less than their energy or their natural genius, if instead of deadening their vivacity of mind we tried to elevate the free scope and impulse of their souls, what might not result from a fine disposition? As it is, we forget that courage, or love of truth and glory are the virtues that matter most in youth; and our one endeavour is to subdue our children's spirits, in order to teach them that dependence and suppleness are the first laws of success in life.” [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education should nurture curiosity and moral courage rather than suppressing spirit with rigid discipline. **In simple terms:** Encourage free thought and bravery in youth. Key Takeaway Foster independent thinking and resilience. Themes education freedom morality creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - parenting - curriculum design - extracurricular programs Key Concepts Enlightenment pedagogy virtue ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance discipline with creative freedom? - What practices nurture moral courage? A Different Perspective Excessive structure may stifle innovation and joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Dependence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependence/) [Eloquence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquence/) [Endeavour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavour/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Love Of Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-truth/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Scope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scope/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Success in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-in-life/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) [Vivacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivacity/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Justice is the crowning glory of the virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/justice-is-the-crowning-glory-of-the-virtues/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Mrs. Ewing was a short woman who accepted the obligation borne by so many short women to make up in vivacity what they lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/mrs-ewing-was-a-short-woman-who-accepted-the-obligation-borne-by-so/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [A person who talks with equal vivacity on every subject, excites no interest in any. Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-person-who-talks-with-equal-vivacity-on-every-subject-excites-no/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We prefer a person with vivacity and high spirits, though bordering upon insolence, to the timid and pusillanimous; we are fonder of wit joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-prefer-a-person-with-vivacity-and-high-spirits-though-bordering/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Superstition is related to this life, religion to the next; superstition is allied to fatality, religion to virtue; it is by the vivacity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/superstition-is-related-to-this-life-religion-to-the-next/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [I always loved the verve and vivacity of pulp and I kind of merged it with my own interest in family stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/i-always-loved-the-verve-and-vivacity-of-pulp-and-i-kind-of-merged-it/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [I don't want to make pompous, serious films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/i-don-t-want-to-make-pompous-serious-films/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [Men of superior vivacity and wit, when they take a wrong turn, are generally worse than other men: because wit, consisting in a lively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-seed/men-of-superior-vivacity-and-wit-when-they-take-a-wrong-turn-are/) [Jeremiah Seed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-seed/) > [Cunning is only the mimic of discretion, and may pass upon weak men in the same manner as vivacity is often mistaken for wit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/cunning-is-only-the-mimic-of-discretion-and-may-pass-upon-weak-men-in/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [PIG, n. An animal ("Porcus omnivorus") closely allied to the human race by the splendor and vivacity of its appetite, which, however, is inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/pig-n-an-animal-porcus-omnivorus-closely-allied-to-the-human-race-by/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [It is by vivacity and wit that man shines in company; but trite jokes and loud laughter reduce him to a buffoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-is-by-vivacity-and-wit-that-man-shines-in-company-but-trite-jokes/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [An army of lions commanded by a deer will never be an army of lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/an-army-of-lions-commanded-by-a-deer-will-never-be-an-army-of-lions/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Apart from the representational content of an idea there is another component: its force and vivacity, its impetus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/apart-from-the-representational-content-of-an-idea-there-is-another/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [No one expects a Broadway musical comedy to be in the vanguard of what is bohemian, raunchy, folkloric, academic or aggressively experimental. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-jefferson/no-one-expects-a-broadway-musical-comedy-to-be-in-the-vanguard-of/) [Margo Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-jefferson/) > [A problem with my novels is that they, from the start, have been infantile and incredibly childish. There are childishness, stupidity, lack of wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgard/a-problem-with-my-novels-is-that-they-from-the-start-have-been/) [Karl Ove Knausgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgard/) ## More by Luc de Clapiers > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/there-are-those-who-are-so-scrupulously-afraid-of-doing-wrong-that/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men are not to be judged by what they do not know, but by what they know, and by the manner in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-are-not-to-be-judged-by-what-they-do-not-know-but-by-what-they/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/none-are-more-liable-to-mistakes-than-those-who-act-only-on-second/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-mind-is-the-soul-s-eye-not-its-source-of-power-that-lies-in-the/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is easier to say new things than to reconcile those which have already been said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-easier-to-say-new-things-than-to-reconcile-those-which-have/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Those who can bear all can dare all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/those-who-can-bear-all-can-dare-all/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-of-no-use-to-possess-a-lively-wit-if-it-is-not-of-the-right/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Explore all 190 Luc de Clapiers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## 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": "If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just as they have for languages, if their memory was exercised less than their energy or their natural genius, if instead of deadening their vivacity of mind we tried to elevate the free scope and impulse of their souls, what might not result from a fine disposition? 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