--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man, to be greatly good, must imagine…" description: "\"A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and of many others; the pains and pl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_good_a-man-to-be-greatly-good-must-imagine-in_687410.jpg" --- # A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and… ![“A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and of many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own.” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_good_a-man-to-be-greatly-good-must-imagine-in_687410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_good_a-man-to-be-greatly-good-must-imagine-in_687410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_good_a-man-to-be-greatly-good-must-imagine-in_687410.jpg) > “A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and of many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great moral virtue demands deep empathy, imagining others’ experiences as one’s own, fostering shared humanity. **In simple terms:** True goodness requires deep empathy. Key Takeaway Practice seeing the world through others’ eyes. Themes ethics empathy humanity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - education - community service - leadership Key Concepts philosophy psychology social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you expand your empathy? - What barriers hinder understanding others? A Different Perspective Empathy can be limited by personal bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-imagine-393121/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Intensely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-intensely-5427142/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Greatly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-greatly-2270598/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain and pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-and-pleasure/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasures Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasures-species-5427143/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) ## Related quotes > [“A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and many others; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-man-to-be-greatly-good-must-imagine-intensely-and-comprehensively-2/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/clothes-and-manners-do-not-make-the-man-but-when-he-is-made-they/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [No man is greatly jealous who is not in some measure guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/no-man-is-greatly-jealous-who-is-not-in-some-measure-guilty/) [Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/) > [It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-doubtful-whether-god-can-bless-a-man-greatly-until-he-has-hurt-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before God can use a man greatly he must wound him deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/before-god-can-use-a-man-greatly-he-must-wound-him-deeply/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Good can imagine Evil; but Evil cannot imagine Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/good-can-imagine-evil-but-evil-cannot-imagine-good/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If things are not so good, you may be one to imagine something better. For me, I was able to imagine myself as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-forbes-nash-jr/if-things-are-not-so-good-you-may-be-one-to-imagine-something-better/) [John Forbes Nash, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-forbes-nash-jr/) > [Because nothing is as good as you can imagine it. No one is as beautiful as she is in your head. Nothing is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-nothing-is-as-good-as-you-can-imagine-it-no-one-is-as/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“She set them up on a date with their subconscious because nothing is as good as you can imagine it. No one is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/she-set-them-up-on-a-date-with-their-subconscious-because-nothing-is/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [The great secret of morals is love; or a going out of our nature, and an identification of ourselves with the beautiful which exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-great-secret-of-morals-is-love-or-a-going-out-of-our-nature-and/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Tragedy delights by affording a shadow of the pleasure which exists in pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/tragedy-delights-by-affording-a-shadow-of-the-pleasure-which-exists/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The same refinement which brings us new pleasures exposes us to new pains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/the-same-refinement-which-brings-us-new-pleasures-exposes-us-to-new/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-strawson/it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-does-not-entail-i-see-a-table/) [Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) > [“Sentience is not an end in itself. It is a means to the end of staying alive. Sentient beings use sensations of pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francione-gary-l/sentience-is-not-an-end-in-itself-it-is-a-means-to-the-end-of-staying/) [Francione, Gary L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francione-gary-l/) > [“I love you because… wait… I take a drag from my pipe… I really don’t know. I think that’s the beauty of love, wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-jace/i-love-you-because-wait-i-take-a-drag-from-my-pipe-i-really-don-t/) [Cameron Jace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-jace/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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