Letter to Elizabeth Shaw (1784), quoted in John Adams (2001) by David McCullough, p. 310
“
To be good, and to do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.
— Abigail Adams
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "To be good, and to do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words." in the context of "Letter to Elizabeth Shaw (1784), quoted in John Adams (2001) by David McCullough, p. 310" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Abigail Adams" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Abigail Adams
Abigail Smith Adams (November 11, 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and is retrospectively perceived as the second First Lady of the United States; the term was not coined until after she had died. She was also the mother of John Quincy Adams.
About Abigail Adams
Abigail Smith Adams (November 11, 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and is retrospectively perceived as the second First Lady of the United States; the term was not coined until after she had died. She was also the mother of John Quincy Adams.
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