--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a felon s not engaged in his…" description: "\"When a felon s not engaged in his employment, Or maturing his felonious little plans, His capacity for innocent enjoyment Is just as great as any hones..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d53/w-s-gilbert-8102_capacity_when-a-felon-s-not-engaged-in-his-employ_2032096.jpg" --- # When a felon s not engaged in his employment, Or maturing… ![“When a felon s not engaged in his employment, Or maturing his felonious little plans, His capacity for innocent enjoyment Is just as great as any honest mans.” quote by W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d53/w-s-gilbert-8102_capacity_when-a-felon-s-not-engaged-in-his-employ_2032096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d53/w-s-gilbert-8102_capacity_when-a-felon-s-not-engaged-in-his-employ_2032096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d53/w-s-gilbert-8102_capacity_when-a-felon-s-not-engaged-in-his-employ_2032096.jpg) > “When a felon s not engaged in his employment, Or maturing his felonious little plans, His capacity for innocent enjoyment Is just as great as any honest mans.” [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even those who break the law can find joy and normalcy when not actively offending **In simple terms:** Criminals can enjoy life when not committing crimes Key Takeaway People can be good when not acting badly Themes human nature morality dualities Mood reflective critical Type literary theatrical When to use this quote - prison rehabilitation - community integration - personal reflection Key Concepts free will ethical ambiguity social roles Questions to Reflect On - Does inactivity always lead to virtue? - Can society trust reformed offenders? A Different Perspective Assumes all felons have equal capacity for innocence ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employment/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Felons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felons/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) ## Related quotes > [When a felon's not engaged in his employment Or maturing his felonious little plans His capacity for innocent enjoyment Is just as great as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/when-a-felon-s-not-engaged-in-his-employment-or-maturing-his-2/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Christian discipleship does not involve the abandonment of any innocent enjoyment. Any diversion or amusement which we can use so as to receive pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/christian-discipleship-does-not-involve-the-abandonment-of-any/) [Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/) > [true love is felonious… You take someone’s breath away… You rob them of the ability to utter a single word… You steal a heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/true-love-is-felonious-you-take-someone-s-breath-away-you-rob-them-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [There are 4 kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-are-4-kinds-of-homicide-felonious-excusable-justifiable-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I like to believe that my best hits border on felonious assault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-tatum/i-like-to-believe-that-my-best-hits-border-on-felonious-assault/) [Jack Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-tatum/) > [Whenever I am doing anything else, which is most of the time, even if it is not something like robbing a bank, I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/whenever-i-am-doing-anything-else-which-is-most-of-the-time-even-if/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [True love is felonious...You take someones breath away...You rob them of the ability to utter a single word...You steal a heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/true-love-is-felonious-you-take-someones-breath-away-you-rob-them-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Felonious, my old friend, step on in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steely-dan/felonious-my-old-friend-step-on-in/) [Steely Dan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steely-dan/) > [The charges that I am anti-Semitic are simply erroneous, felonious, and unceremonious. In fact, when I need a doctor, I always look for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-charges-that-i-am-anti-semitic-are-simply-erroneous-felonious-and/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.” —Ambrose Bierce”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-levine/there-are-four-kinds-of-homicide-felonious-excusable-justifiable-and-2/) [Paul Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-levine/) > [There are four kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-are-four-kinds-of-homicide-felonious-excusable-justifiable-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Michelle Alexander's brave and bold new book paints a haunting picture in which dreary felon garb, post-prison joblessness, and loss of voting rights now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-guinier/michelle-alexander-s-brave-and-bold-new-book-paints-a-haunting/) Lani Guinier > [Two million felons have tried to buy a gun and, because of the background check, have been denied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/two-million-felons-have-tried-to-buy-a-gun-and-because-of-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [If you take into account prisoners, a large majority of African American men in some urban areas, like Chicago, have been labeled felons for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/if-you-take-into-account-prisoners-a-large-majority-of-african/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Your thief looks Exactly like the rest, or rather better; 'Tis only at the bar, and in the dungeon, That wise men know your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/your-thief-looks-exactly-like-the-rest-or-rather-better-tis-only-at/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) ## More by W. S. Gilbert > [The Law is the true embodiment of everything that's excellent; it has no kind of fault or flaw and I, my Lords, embody the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/the-law-is-the-true-embodiment-of-everything-that-s-excellent-it-has/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [A man is but an ass Who fights in a cuirass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/a-man-is-but-an-ass-who-fights-in-a-cuirass/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [I love my fellow creatures - I do all the good I can - yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/i-love-my-fellow-creatures-i-do-all-the-good-i-can-yet-everybody-says/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [The idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone, All centuries but this, and every country but his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/the-idiot-who-praises-with-enthusiastic-tone-all-centuries-but-this/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [And that singular anomaly, the lady novelist-- I don't think she'd be missed--I'm sure she'd not be missed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/and-that-singular-anomaly-the-lady-novelist-i-don-t-think-she-d-be/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [I am the Captain of the Pinafore ; And a right good captain too! . . . . And I'm never, never sick at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/i-am-the-captain-of-the-pinafore-and-a-right-good-captain-too-and-i-m/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [There's a fascination frantic in a ruin that's romantic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/there-s-a-fascination-frantic-in-a-ruin-that-s-romantic/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Utopia's quite another land; In her enterprising movements, She is England--with improvements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/utopia-s-quite-another-land-in-her-enterprising-movements-she-is/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Is life a boon? If so, it must befall That Death, whene'er he call, Must call too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/is-life-a-boon-if-so-it-must-befall-that-death-whene-er-he-call-must/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [every Jack He must study the knack If he wants to make sure of his Jill!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/every-jack-he-must-study-the-knack-if-he-wants-to-make-sure-of-his/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [If I can wheedle A knife or a needle, Why not a Silver Churn?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/if-i-can-wheedle-a-knife-or-a-needle-why-not-a-silver-churn/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [All bayonets are bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/all-bayonets-are-bad/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [The happiest hour a sailor sees Is when he's down At an inland town, With his Nancy on his knees, yo ho! And his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/the-happiest-hour-a-sailor-sees-is-when-he-s-down-at-an-inland-town/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [For duty, duty must be done; The rule applies to everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/for-duty-duty-must-be-done-the-rule-applies-to-everyone/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Then a sentimental passion of a vegetable fashion must excite your languid spleen, An attachment a la Plato for a bashful young potato, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/then-a-sentimental-passion-of-a-vegetable-fashion-must-excite-your/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) [Explore all 84 W. S. Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) ## More Capacity quotes > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I was only operating at about 80% of my capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-was-only-operating-at-about-80-of-my-capacity/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [For years mental health professionals taught people that they could be psychologically healthy without social support, that “unless you love yourself, no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-d-perry/for-years-mental-health-professionals-taught-people-that-they-could/) [Bruce D. 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