--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not in books only, nor yet in oral…" description: "\"Not in books only, nor yet in oral discourse, but often also in words there are boundless stores of moral and historic truth, and no less of passion an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/richard-whately-3892_book_not-in-books-only-nor-yet-in-oral-discou_1840885.jpg" --- # Not in books only, nor yet in oral discourse, but often… ![“Not in books only, nor yet in oral discourse, but often also in words there are boundless stores of moral and historic truth, and no less of passion and imagination laid up, from which lessons of infinite worth may be derived.” quote by Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/richard-whately-3892_book_not-in-books-only-nor-yet-in-oral-discou_1840885.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/richard-whately-3892_book_not-in-books-only-nor-yet-in-oral-discou_1840885.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/richard-whately-3892_book_not-in-books-only-nor-yet-in-oral-discou_1840885.jpg) > “Not in books only, nor yet in oral discourse, but often also in words there are boundless stores of moral and historic truth, and no less of passion and imagination laid up, from which lessons of infinite worth may be derived.” [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that both written and spoken language contain vast moral, historical, and imaginative resources that can teach valuable lessons. **In simple terms:** Language holds endless moral and imaginative lessons. Key Takeaway Seek wisdom in all forms of expression. Themes education history imagination morality communication Mood reflective inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - writing - literature analysis Key Concepts Rhetoric cultural heritage knowledge extraction Questions to Reflect On - How can you uncover hidden lessons in everyday conversation? - What moral truths do you find in historical narratives? A Different Perspective The depth of insight depends on the reader’s willingness to engage critically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Historic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historic/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Laid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-laid-2348612/) [Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite/) [Infinite Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite-worth-965075/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Historic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-historic-797152/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stores/) [Stores Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stores-moral-2348611/) [Words Boundless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-boundless-2348610/) ## Related quotes > [It is not enough for a landscape to be interesting in itself. Eventually there must be a moral and historic interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/it-is-not-enough-for-a-landscape-to-be-interesting-in-itself/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“A woman without a man is still of infinite worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-mcmain-oaks/a-woman-without-a-man-is-still-of-infinite-worth/) [Kristen McMain Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-mcmain-oaks/) > [Christmas is Love come down to earth, a gift of infinite worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/christmas-is-love-come-down-to-earth-a-gift-of-infinite-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you know who you really are, being is enough. You feel neither superior to anyone nor inferior to anyone and you have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/once-you-know-who-you-really-are-being-is-enough-you-feel-neither/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [May we always care for our children, not counting the cost, so that they may never believe themselves to be mistakes, but always know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/may-we-always-care-for-our-children-not-counting-the-cost-so-that/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Every situation--nay, every moment--is of infinite worth; for it is the representative of a whole eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/every-situation-nay-every-moment-is-of-infinite-worth-for-it-is-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [You alone are the judge of your worth and your goal is to discover infinite worth in yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-alone-are-the-judge-of-your-worth-and-your-goal-is-to-discover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One cannot overstate the childishness of the ideas that feed and stir the masses. Real ideas must as a rule be simplified to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-haffner/one-cannot-overstate-the-childishness-of-the-ideas-that-feed-and-stir/) [Sebastian Haffner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-haffner/) > [The war in Iraq is a rare opportunity to move toward an historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times a new world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-war-in-iraq-is-a-rare-opportunity-to-move-toward-an-historic/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [When Americans decry our politicians, we must remember that ultimately, politicians reflect us. When we demand more than mediocrity - and the passing comforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/when-americans-decry-our-politicians-we-must-remember-that-ultimately/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [We in Illinois are very fortunate to have a number of historic structures that have added immeasurably to the cultural life of the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-thompson/we-in-illinois-are-very-fortunate-to-have-a-number-of-historic/) [James R. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-thompson/) > [Fundamentally, legislation that is historic, that is comprehensive, that has a large number of senators supporting it is more durable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-baucus/fundamentally-legislation-that-is-historic-that-is-comprehensive-that/) [Max Baucus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-baucus/) > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Richard Whately > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [The power of duly appreciating little things belongs to a great mind...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/the-power-of-duly-appreciating-little-things-belongs-to-a-great-mind/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Falsehood, like the dry-rot, flourishes the more in proportion as air and light are excluded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/falsehood-like-the-dry-rot-flourishes-the-more-in-proportion-as-air/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Of all hostile feelings, envy is perhaps the hardest to be subdued, because hardly any one owns it even to himself, but looks out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-all-hostile-feelings-envy-is-perhaps-the-hardest-to-be-subdued/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [knowledge of our duties is the most useful part of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/knowledge-of-our-duties-is-the-most-useful-part-of-philosophy/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Geologists complain that when they want specimens of the common rocks of a country, they receive curious spars; just so, historians give us the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/geologists-complain-that-when-they-want-specimens-of-the-common-rocks/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Reason can no more influence the will, and operate as a motive, than the eyes which show a man his road can enable him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/reason-can-no-more-influence-the-will-and-operate-as-a-motive-than/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Eloquence is relative. One can no more pronounce on the eloquence of any composition than the wholesomeness of a medicine, without knowing for whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/eloquence-is-relative-one-can-no-more-pronounce-on-the-eloquence-of/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Falsehood, like poison, will generally be rejected when administered alone; but when blended with wholesome ingredients may be swallowed unperceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/falsehood-like-poison-will-generally-be-rejected-when-administered/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Happiness is no laughing matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/happiness-is-no-laughing-matter/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Though not always called upon to condemn ourselves, it is always safe to suspect ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/though-not-always-called-upon-to-condemn-ourselves-it-is-always-safe/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Even supposing there were some spiritual advantage in celibacy, it ought to be completely voluntary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/even-supposing-there-were-some-spiritual-advantage-in-celibacy-it/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Some men's reputation seems like seed-wheat, which thrives best when brought from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/some-men-s-reputation-seems-like-seed-wheat-which-thrives-best-when/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [He who is not aware of his ignorance will be only misled by his knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/he-who-is-not-aware-of-his-ignorance-will-be-only-misled-by-his/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) [Explore all 119 Richard Whately quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) ## More Book 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/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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