Said Mrs Quote by Sydney Smith
““I am glad you like what I said of Mrs. Elizabeth Fry (prison and mental hospital reformer). She is very unpopular with the clergy; examples of living, active virtue disturb our repose and give one to distressing comparisons; we long to burn her alive.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Unpopularity of Mrs. Elizabeth Fry", 1815
Criticizes clergy for disliking Fry’s reforms, suggesting they would rather destroy her than confront her virtues.
In simple terms: Clergy resist reform, preferring destruction.
Key Takeaway
Support reform despite opposition.
Themes
social reform
religion
virtue
Mood
critical
historical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy advocacy
- historical analysis
- social justice
Key Concepts
institutional resistance
ethical courage
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives resistance to reform?
- How can virtue be protected against backlash?
A Different Perspective
Not all clergy were opposed.
![“[T]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury hates the abstract truths of science as much as he hates concrete truth in human affairs, now is his time for getting rid of the multiplication table, and…” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/709/sydney-smith-6523_abstract_t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-no_463551.jpg)
