Advantage Quote by Samuel Johnson
“Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rule of composition; it produces vigilance rather than elevation; rather prevents loss than procures advantage; and often miscarriages, but seldom reaches either power or honor.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Rambler, 1750
Prudence guides actions cautiously, preventing loss more than gaining advantage.
In simple terms: Prudence avoids risk, not necessarily achieving greatness.
Key Takeaway
Balance caution with ambition.
Themes
prudence
risk
decision‑making
Mood
reflective
cautious
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- financial planning
- career choices
- personal safety
- investment
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- When does prudence become overcautious?
- How can you act wisely without missing opportunities?
A Different Perspective
Excessive caution can hinder progress.
![“[Prudence] is the virtue of that part of the intellect [the calculative] to which it belongs; and . . . our choice of actions will not be right without Prudence any more than without Moral Virtue, since, while Moral Virtue enables us to achieve the end, Prudence makes us adopt the right means to…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be1/aristotle-78_achieve_prudence-is-the-virtue-of-that-part-of-t_431676.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
