--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To live content with small means; to seek…" description: "\"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/william-ellery-channing-3428_beauty_to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek_3167994.jpg" --- # To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather… ![“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await…” quote by William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/william-ellery-channing-3428_beauty_to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek_3167994.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/william-ellery-channing-3428_beauty_to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek_3167994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/william-ellery-channing-3428_beauty_to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek_3167994.jpg) > “To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony.” [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live simply, seek inner refinement, value worth over status, stay open to nature and learning, and let unconscious spirituality grow through everyday life. **In simple terms:** Live simply, value inner growth. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and inner richness. Themes simplicity spirituality humility growth mindfulness Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - education - creative pursuits - environmental stewardship - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophy ethics metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice elegance without luxury? - What daily habits nurture your inner spirituality? A Different Perspective May be idealistic for material-driven societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Open heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-heart/) ## Related quotes > [“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury-2/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [“They learned to live contently with small things, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy not respectable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/they-learned-to-live-contently-with-small-things-to-seek-elegance/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [In using all means, seek God alone. In and through every outward thing, look only to the power of His Spirit, and the merits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/in-using-all-means-seek-god-alone-in-and-through-every-outward-thing/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“...To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly ... to listen to stars and buds, to babes and sages, with open heart; await…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-channing/to-study-hard-think-quietly-talk-gently-act-frankly-to-listen-to/) William Henry Channing > [“If you’ll not let me be spiritual about it, you’ll have to put up wi’ my baser nature. I’m going to be a beast.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-you-ll-not-let-me-be-spiritual-about-it-you-ll-have-to-put-up-wi/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [In prayer and in every work of your life avoid suspicious ness, doubt and diabolical imaginations. 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Which sometimes adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-anshaw/you-come-from-the-city-and-think-small-means-simple-when-all-it-realy/) [Carol Anshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-anshaw/) > [With small means the Lord accomplishes His marvelous work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/with-small-means-the-lord-accomplishes-his-marvelous-work/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I find so much writing colourless, small in its means, unwilling to take stylistic risks. Often it goes wrong; I am not the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/i-find-so-much-writing-colourless-small-in-its-means-unwilling-to/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [When my girls do something very small, it means something big to me. 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One great thought breathed into a man may regenerate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/ideas-are-the-mightiest-influence-on-earth-one-great-thought-breathed/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [“god be thanked for books. they are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/god-be-thanked-for-books-they-are-the-voices-of-the-distant-and-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/perhaps-in-our-presence-the-most-heroic-deed-on-earth-is-done-in-some/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Each of us is meant to have a character all our own, to be what no other can exactly be, and do what no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/each-of-us-is-meant-to-have-a-character-all-our-own-to-be-what-no/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) [Explore all 130 William Ellery Channing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. 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