--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though an inheritance of acres may be…" description: "\"Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png" --- # Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an… ![“Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him; but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another, or to purchase any kind of self-culture.” quote by Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png) > “Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him; but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another, or to purchase any kind of self-culture.” [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge and wisdom cannot be bought; they require personal cultivation. **In simple terms:** Wisdom is earned, not inherited. Key Takeaway Invest in personal learning. Themes education self‑culture wealth Mood reflective instructive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - financial planning - parenting - community leadership Key Concepts intellectual development self‑improvement autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How will you cultivate your own wisdom? - What habits foster lifelong learning? A Different Perspective Wealth can provide resources but not substitute effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acres/) [Acres Bequeathed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acres-bequeathed-934411/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Inheritance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance/) [Inheritance Acres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance-acres-934409/) [Inheritance Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance-knowledge-934412/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knowledge and wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-wisdom/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy/) [Wealthy Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy-man/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-wealthy-934410/) ## Related quotes > [“It was not as if he did not know what living in Lagos could do to a woman married to a young and wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/it-was-not-as-if-he-did-not-know-what-living-in-lagos-could-do-to-a/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I'm going to fight until the end. My husband is worth it. He wanted me to have it. He was worth a lot. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-nicole-smith/i-m-going-to-fight-until-the-end-my-husband-is-worth-it-he-wanted-me/) [Anna Nicole Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-nicole-smith/) > [A wealthy man can preserve his wealth only by continuing to serve the consumers in the most efficient way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/a-wealthy-man-can-preserve-his-wealth-only-by-continuing-to-serve-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [When a gently born spinster has little money, her choices are few. She might receive an offer of marriage, but it's unlikely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-beverley/when-a-gently-born-spinster-has-little-money-her-choices-are-few-she/) [Jo Beverley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-beverley/) > [“He’s cocky but wounded, charming but lonely, with the sureness of a wealthy man and the desperation of a pauper. I can’t figure him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-fine/he-s-cocky-but-wounded-charming-but-lonely-with-the-sureness-of-a/) [Chelsea Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-fine/) > [I never set out really to build a financial empire or to be a wealthy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-never-set-out-really-to-build-a-financial-empire-or-to-be-a-wealthy/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [The wealthy man and a rich personality may be the two different facets of a single person in two different and isolated situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/the-wealthy-man-and-a-rich-personality-may-be-the-two-different/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [A wise and wealthy man doesn't shake hands with people, he gives a helping hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/a-wise-and-wealthy-man-doesn-t-shake-hands-with-people-he-gives-a/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Time invested converts a pauper into a wealthy man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-invested-converts-a-pauper-into-a-wealthy-man/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [It is the business of the wealthy man To give employment to the artisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/it-is-the-business-of-the-wealthy-man-to-give-employment-to-the/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [“A happy man is a wealthy man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayohliwayo/a-happy-man-is-a-wealthy-man/) [Matshona Dhliwayohliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayohliwayo/) > [For any politician who didn't enter office a wealthy man, nothing says 'I take bribes' like a Rolex watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/for-any-politician-who-didn-t-enter-office-a-wealthy-man-nothing-says/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [A wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more than his wife's sister's husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-wealthy-man-is-one-who-earns-100-a-year-more-than-his-wife-s-sister/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I'm a wealthy man now. I've got a flat, a car, I have enough money to buy food. I skate to make the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-m-a-wealthy-man-now-i-ve-got-a-flat-a-car-i-have-enough-money-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [“A poor man needs the escape far more than a wealthy man does." "Escape," Amanda repeated, having never heard a book described in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/a-poor-man-needs-the-escape-far-more-than-a-wealthy-man-does-escape/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Samuel Smiles > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Diligence, above all, is the mother of good luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/diligence-above-all-is-the-mother-of-good-luck/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The women of the poorer classes make sacrifices, and run risks, and bear privations, and exercise patience and kindness to a degree that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-women-of-the-poorer-classes-make-sacrifices-and-run-risks-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Self-respect is the noblest garment with which a man can clothe himself, the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/self-respect-is-the-noblest-garment-with-which-a-man-can-clothe/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The experience gathered from books, though often valuable, is but of the nature of learning; whereas, the experience gained from actual life is of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-experience-gathered-from-books-though-often-valuable-is-but-of/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-apprenticeship-of-difficulty-is-one-which-the-greatest-of-men/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-spirit-of-self-help-is-the-root-of-all-genuine-growth-in-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The wise man... if he would live at peace with others, he will bear and forbear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-wise-man-if-he-would-live-at-peace-with-others-he-will-bear-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Those who are the most persistent, and work in the true spirit, will invariably be the most successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/those-who-are-the-most-persistent-and-work-in-the-true-spirit-will/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The iron rail proved a magicians' road. It virtually reduced England to a sixth of its size. It brought the country nearer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-iron-rail-proved-a-magicians-road-it-virtually-reduced-england-to/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [This extraordinary metal, the soul of every manufacture, and the mainspring perhaps of civilised society. Of iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/this-extraordinary-metal-the-soul-of-every-manufacture-and-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/man-cannot-aspire-if-he-looked-down-if-he-rise-he-must-look-up/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The life of a good man is at the same time the most eloquent lesson of virtue and the most severe reproof of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-life-of-a-good-man-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-eloquent-lesson/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [It is a grand old name, that of gentleman, and has been recognized as a rank and power in all stages of society. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/it-is-a-grand-old-name-that-of-gentleman-and-has-been-recognized-as-a/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“Many are the lives of men unwritten, which have nevertheless as powerfully influenced civilization and progress as the more fortunate Great whose names are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/many-are-the-lives-of-men-unwritten-which-have-nevertheless-as/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) [Explore all 189 Samuel Smiles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## More Acres quotes > [“I suppose there was never a reason for tearing down a cabin or scrapping a stopped automobile, if you had all those acres.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-suppose-there-was-never-a-reason-for-tearing-down-a-cabin-or/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [It were good to know how much hay an acre of every sort will bear; how many cattle the same weight of each sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petty/it-were-good-to-know-how-much-hay-an-acre-of-every-sort-will-bear-how/) [William Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petty/) > [In the 24 hours since this time yesterday, over 200,000 acres of rainforest have been destroyed in our world. Fully 13 million tons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-hartmann/in-the-24-hours-since-this-time-yesterday-over-200-000-acres-of/) [Thom Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-hartmann/) > [About five years ago, the courses we run in the Field Trials were 52 percent timber. The hawks live in trees, and the quail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/about-five-years-ago-the-courses-we-run-in-the-field-trials-were-52/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [ \[Footnote:\] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-whale-called-balaena-or/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [One time we did have 300 acres in watermelons. That was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-burke/one-time-we-did-have-300-acres-in-watermelons-that-was-fun/) [Delta Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-burke/) > [Our problem with limited resources is not primarily overpopulation; it is greed. Our problem with pollution is not the invention of fluorocarbons or mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winkie-pratney/our-problem-with-limited-resources-is-not-primarily-overpopulation-it/) [Winkie Pratney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winkie-pratney/) > [Only by himself, with one acre and a house, will a dunce be a dunce. Once he manages to gain power, he'll turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/only-by-himself-with-one-acre-and-a-house-will-a-dunce-be-a-dunce/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [And we never got the mule, let alone the forty acres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evers/and-we-never-got-the-mule-let-alone-the-forty-acres/) [Charles Evers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evers/) > [I grew up in a town outside of Waco, Texas, and we had 30 acres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/i-grew-up-in-a-town-outside-of-waco-texas-and-we-had-30-acres/) [Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/) > [The poet is at the edge of our consciousness of the world, finding beyond the suspected nothingness which we imagine limits our perception another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/the-poet-is-at-the-edge-of-our-consciousness-of-the-world-finding/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [We live on a 500-acre ranch, beautiful ranch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-tucker/we-live-on-a-500-acre-ranch-beautiful-ranch/) [Tanya Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-tucker/) > [There is not an acre of ground on the globe that is in possession of its rightful owner, or that has not been taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-not-an-acre-of-ground-on-the-globe-that-is-in-possession-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The city of London, within the walls, occupies a space of only 370 acres, and is but the hundred and fortieth part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mayhew/the-city-of-london-within-the-walls-occupies-a-space-of-only-370/) [Henry Mayhew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mayhew/) > [The ploughman knows how many acres he shall upturn from dawn to sunset: but the thinker knows not what a day may bring forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/the-ploughman-knows-how-many-acres-he-shall-upturn-from-dawn-to/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) [Browse all 218 Acres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acres/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him; but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another, or to purchase any kind of self-culture.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Smiles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-bequeathed-an-inheritance-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acres" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-bequeathed-an-inheritance-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/samuel-smiles-2037_acres_though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-be_869170.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy…” — Samuel Smiles", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Smiles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Though an inheritance of acres may...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-bequeathed-an-inheritance-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/though-an-inheritance-of-acres-may-be-bequeathed-an-inheritance-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```