--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither exhortations to virtue nor the…" description: "\"“Neither exhortations to virtue nor the argument of approaching death should divert us from literature; for in a good mind it excites the love of virtu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/petrarch-6716_approaching-death_neither-exhortations-to-virtue-nor-the-a_1968920.jpg" --- # Neither exhortations to virtue nor the argument of… ![“Neither exhortations to virtue nor the argument of approaching death should divert us from literature; for in a good mind it excites the love of virtue, and dissipates, or at least diminishes, the fear of death.” quote by Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/petrarch-6716_approaching-death_neither-exhortations-to-virtue-nor-the-a_1968920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/petrarch-6716_approaching-death_neither-exhortations-to-virtue-nor-the-a_1968920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/petrarch-6716_approaching-death_neither-exhortations-to-virtue-nor-the-a_1968920.jpg) > ““Neither exhortations to virtue nor the argument of approaching death should divert us from literature; for in a good mind it excites the love of virtue, and dissipates, or at least diminishes, the fear of death.”” [Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petrarch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literature sustains the soul, fostering virtue and easing death’s fear. **In simple terms:** Books nurture virtue and calm fear. Key Takeaway Read to grow morally and find peace. Themes literature virtue mortality Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - studying classics - personal reflection - teaching literature Key Concepts humanism philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does literature shape your values? - Can stories truly lessen existential dread? A Different Perspective Reading alone may not change behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approaching death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approaching-death/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Exhortations Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhortations-virtue-3294025/) [Fear of death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-of-death/) [Literature Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-good-579864/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-virtue/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-argument-3294027/) [Virtue Dissipates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-dissipates-3294026/) ## Related quotes > [“One of the reasons I wanted to write this column, I think, is because I assumed that the cultural highlight of my month would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/one-of-the-reasons-i-wanted-to-write-this-column-i-think-is-because-i/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [The novel succeeds on terms exclusive to literature. 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And us... what good are we if we don't help as much as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/what-good-is-a-writer-if-he-can-t-destroy-literature-and-us-what-good/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [I think if you're impregnated with good literature, with good culture, you're much more difficult to manipulate, and you're much more aware of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-if-you-re-impregnated-with-good-literature-with-good-culture/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [I am not opposed to e-readers. Any technology that encourages the reading of literature is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/i-am-not-opposed-to-e-readers-any-technology-that-encourages-the/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. 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