--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and…" description: "\"“For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many Wheeles, giving motion to the whole Body, such a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg" --- # For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but… ![“For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many Wheeles, giving motion to the whole Body, such as was intended by the Artificer? Art goes yet further, imitating that Rationall and most excellent worke of Nature, Man. For by Art is created that…” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg) > ““For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many Wheeles, giving motion to the whole Body, such as was intended by the Artificer? Art goes yet further, imitating that Rationall and most excellent worke of Nature, Man. For by Art is created that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMON-WEALTH, or STATE, (in latine CIVITAS) which is but an Artificiall Man; though of greater stature and strength than the Naturall, for whose protection and defence it was intended; and in which, the Soveraignty is an Artificiall Soul, as giving life and motion to the whole body; The Magistrates, and other Officers of Judicature and Execution, artificiall Joynts; Reward and Punishment (by which fastned to the seat of the Soveraignty, every joynt and member is moved to performe his duty) are the Nerves, that do the same in the Body Naturall; The Wealth and Riches of all the particular members, are the Strength; Salus Populi (the Peoples Safety) its Businesse; Counsellors, by whom all things needfull for it to know, are suggested unto it, are the Memory; Equity and Lawes, an artificiall Reason and Will; Concord, Health; Sedition, Sicknesse; and Civill War, Death.”” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The state functions like a body, with institutions as organs, maintaining order and collective welfare. **In simple terms:** Society is a living organism. Key Takeaway Support strong, organized governance. Themes politics society order philosophy Mood serious analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government formation - legal reform - public health policy Key Concepts social contract statecraft collective identity Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of state power? - How can citizens ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Risk of authoritarian overreach if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellent work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-work/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-philosophy/) [Political science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-science/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) ## Related quotes > [“For by Art is created that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMON-WEALTH, or STATE, (in latine CIVITAS) which is but an Artificiall Man; though of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-by-art-is-created-that-great-leviathan-called-a-common-wealth-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A constitution, therefore, is to a government what the laws made afterwards by that government are to a court of judicature. The court of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/a-constitution-therefore-is-to-a-government-what-the-laws-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [I read biographies of people I think have either done excellent work or achieved a lot, and the common theme seems to be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/i-read-biographies-of-people-i-think-have-either-done-excellent-work/) [Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/) > [The pressure is self-imposed because I always want to do excellent work, and I always want to be interesting to people watching me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristoffer-polaha/the-pressure-is-self-imposed-because-i-always-want-to-do-excellent/) [Kristoffer Polaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristoffer-polaha/) > [Effective people do two things: they strive to do excellent work, and they prioritize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/effective-people-do-two-things-they-strive-to-do-excellent-work-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The first time I read an excellent work, it is to me just as if I gained a new friend; and when I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-time-i-read-an-excellent-work-it-is-to-me-just-as-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is probably better that the world knows only the result, not the conditions under which it was achieved; because knowledge of the artist’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/it-is-probably-better-that-the-world-knows-only-the-result-not-the/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [“About thirty minutes later, Dan Dan the Death Man comes back on, saying that thanks to the excellent work of the firefighters on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/about-thirty-minutes-later-dan-dan-the-death-man-comes-back-on-saying/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“Time’s up. Excellent work. All the rational solutions came from the aspies. Everyone else was incapacitated by emotion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/time-s-up-excellent-work-all-the-rational-solutions-came-from-the/) [Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/) > [Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/discipline-helps-you-finish-a-job-and-finishing-is-what-separates/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [“How Not to Break Into Sublevel Two (A list by Cameron Morgan, with help from Macey McHenry) … -Teleportation: Sure, Liz says she has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/how-not-to-break-into-sublevel-two-a-list-by-cameron-morgan-with-help/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [All I know that whatever I do will be excellent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/all-i-know-that-whatever-i-do-will-be-excellent-work/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [All of us salute the ITU's excellent work in the telecommunications space. It has set standards which encourage investment in infrastructure and ensure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/all-of-us-salute-the-itu-s-excellent-work-in-the-telecommunications/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-achieve-excellence-you-can-get-there-today-as-of-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“all human work (especially excellent work), done by all people, as a channel of God’s love for his world. They will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-human-work-especially-excellent-work-done-by-all-people-as-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Excellent work quotes > [“all human work (especially excellent work), done by all people, as a channel of God’s love for his world. They will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-human-work-especially-excellent-work-done-by-all-people-as-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-achieve-excellence-you-can-get-there-today-as-of-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All of us salute the ITU's excellent work in the telecommunications space. It has set standards which encourage investment in infrastructure and ensure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/all-of-us-salute-the-itu-s-excellent-work-in-the-telecommunications/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [All I know that whatever I do will be excellent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/all-i-know-that-whatever-i-do-will-be-excellent-work/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [“How Not to Break Into Sublevel Two (A list by Cameron Morgan, with help from Macey McHenry) … -Teleportation: Sure, Liz says she has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/how-not-to-break-into-sublevel-two-a-list-by-cameron-morgan-with-help/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/discipline-helps-you-finish-a-job-and-finishing-is-what-separates/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [“Time’s up. Excellent work. All the rational solutions came from the aspies. Everyone else was incapacitated by emotion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/time-s-up-excellent-work-all-the-rational-solutions-came-from-the/) [Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/) > [“About thirty minutes later, Dan Dan the Death Man comes back on, saying that thanks to the excellent work of the firefighters on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/about-thirty-minutes-later-dan-dan-the-death-man-comes-back-on-saying/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“It is probably better that the world knows only the result, not the conditions under which it was achieved; because knowledge of the artist’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/it-is-probably-better-that-the-world-knows-only-the-result-not-the/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [The first time I read an excellent work, it is to me just as if I gained a new friend; and when I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-time-i-read-an-excellent-work-it-is-to-me-just-as-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Effective people do two things: they strive to do excellent work, and they prioritize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/effective-people-do-two-things-they-strive-to-do-excellent-work-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The pressure is self-imposed because I always want to do excellent work, and I always want to be interesting to people watching me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristoffer-polaha/the-pressure-is-self-imposed-because-i-always-want-to-do-excellent/) [Kristoffer Polaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristoffer-polaha/) > [I read biographies of people I think have either done excellent work or achieved a lot, and the common theme seems to be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/i-read-biographies-of-people-i-think-have-either-done-excellent-work/) [Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/) > [In Indiana we had a queen we named Alice which lived to the ripe old age of eight years and two months and did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-smith/in-indiana-we-had-a-queen-we-named-alice-which-lived-to-the-ripe-old/) Jay Smith > [“As he stepped forward, it dawned on her that this was a bad idea. If he wanted to talk she should meet him downstairs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/as-he-stepped-forward-it-dawned-on-her-that-this-was-a-bad-idea-if-he/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) [Browse all 28 Excellent work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many Wheeles, giving motion to the whole Body, such as was intended by the Artificer? Art goes yet further, imitating that Rationall and most excellent worke of Nature, Man. For by Art is created that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMON-WEALTH, or STATE, (in latine CIVITAS) which is but an Artificiall Man; though of greater stature and strength than the Naturall, for whose protection and defence it was intended; and in which, the Soveraignty is an Artificiall Soul, as giving life and motion to the whole body; The Magistrates, and other Officers of Judicature and Execution, artificiall Joynts; Reward and Punishment (by which fastned to the seat of the Soveraignty, every joynt and member is moved to performe his duty) are the Nerves, that do the same in the Body Naturall; The Wealth and Riches of all the particular members, are the Strength; Salus Populi (the Peoples Safety) its Businesse; Counsellors, by whom all things needfull for it to know, are suggested unto it, are the Memory; Equity and Lawes, an artificiall Reason and Will; Concord, Health; Sedition, Sicknesse; and Civill War, Death.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-the-nerves-but-so-many-strings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excellent work" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-the-nerves-but-so-many-strings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/thomas-hobbes-1127_freedom_for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-t_420672.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many…” — Thomas Hobbes", "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": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For what is the Heart, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-the-nerves-but-so-many-strings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-what-is-the-heart-but-a-spring-and-the-nerves-but-so-many-strings/#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 } } ] } ```