--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His universal compassion was due less to…" description: "\"His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct, than to a profound conviction, a sum of thoughts that in the course of living had filtered t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg" --- # His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct… ![“His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct, than to a profound conviction, a sum of thoughts that in the course of living had filtered through to his heart: for in the nature of man, as in rock, there may be channels hollowed by the dropping of water, and these can never be destroyed.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg) > “His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct, than to a profound conviction, a sum of thoughts that in the course of living had filtered through to his heart: for in the nature of man, as in rock, there may be channels hollowed by the dropping of water, and these can never be destroyed.” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion arises from deep conviction and reflective thought, not merely instinct, shaping enduring moral character. **In simple terms:** Compassion comes from thoughtful belief, not just instinct. Key Takeaway Cultivate reflective conviction. Themes compassion conviction human nature Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - conflict resolution - community building Key Concepts philosophy ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does reflective belief strengthen empathy? - What habits nurture compassionate conviction? A Different Perspective Compassion may be challenged by self‑interest or apathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-natural-3394125/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Dropping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dropping/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instinct Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct-profound-3394124/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-instinct/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Universal Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-compassion-2224242/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [It is my fundamental conviction that compassion - the natural capacity of the human heart to feel concern for and connection with another human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/it-is-my-fundamental-conviction-that-compassion-the-natural-capacity/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“After all, what Buddhism offers as a solution is universalised indifference - a learning of how to withdraw from too much empathy. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/after-all-what-buddhism-offers-as-a-solution-is-universalised/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [Strength of the Heart comes from knowing that the pain that we each must bear is part of the greater pain shared by all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/strength-of-the-heart-comes-from-knowing-that-the-pain-that-we-each/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“I do not turn to history to draw from it an easy lesson of hope, but to confront my experience with that of others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-herbert/i-do-not-turn-to-history-to-draw-from-it-an-easy-lesson-of-hope-but/) [Zbigniew Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-herbert/) > [Polls show that most people in the world favor humbler, more compassionate solutions to our common problems. Not only favor them but, resolving to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/polls-show-that-most-people-in-the-world-favor-humbler-more/) [Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/) > [The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-assumption-that-animals-are-without-rights-and-the-illusion-that/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/universal-compassion-is-the-only-guarantee-of-morality/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The rationale for universal compassion is based on the same principle of spiritual democracy. It is the recognition of the fact that every living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-rationale-for-universal-compassion-is-based-on-the-same-principle/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/you-can-give-without-loving-but-you-can-never-love-without-giving-the/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I guess because I'm a liberal I think it's not people's natural instinct to be completely self-interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/i-guess-because-i-m-a-liberal-i-think-it-s-not-people-s-natural/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [Men have a sufficient natural instinct for what is true, and usually do arrive at the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/men-have-a-sufficient-natural-instinct-for-what-is-true-and-usually/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The ideal is unnatural naturalness, or natural unnaturalness. I mean it is a combination of both. I mean here is natural instinct and here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-ideal-is-unnatural-naturalness-or-natural-unnaturalness-i-mean-it/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [For me, that's natural. The instinct to score comes naturally and if you have it, you've got to go to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lewis/for-me-that-s-natural-the-instinct-to-score-comes-naturally-and-if/) [Reggie Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lewis/) > [I don't have a very good relationship with baking. I do bake sometimes, but my natural instinct is to just do what feels right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thu-tran/i-don-t-have-a-very-good-relationship-with-baking-i-do-bake-sometimes/) [Thu Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thu-tran/) > [I think that's just a natural instinct as an actor is that you want to just keep exploring humanity and finding different facets of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-christensen/i-think-that-s-just-a-natural-instinct-as-an-actor-is-that-you-want/) [Erika Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-christensen/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct, than to a profound conviction, a sum of thoughts that in the course of living had filtered through to his heart: for in the nature of man, as in rock, there may be channels hollowed by the dropping of water, and these can never be destroyed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Victor Hugo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to-natural-instinct-than-to-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to-natural-instinct-than-to-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/victor-hugo-32_compassion_his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to_372284.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His universal compassion was due less to natural instinct, than to a profound conviction, a sum of thoughts…” — Victor Hugo", "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": "Victor Hugo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "His universal compassion was due less...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to-natural-instinct-than-to-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-universal-compassion-was-due-less-to-natural-instinct-than-to-a/#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 } } ] } ```