"The Lady Who Does Her Own Work" in The Atlantic Monthly (1864).
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Everyone confesses in the abstract that exertion which brings out all the powers of body and mind is the best thing for us all; but practically most people do all they can to get rid of it, and as a general rule nobody does much more than circumstances drive them to do.
— Harriet Beecher Stowe
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Everyone confesses in the abstract that exertion which brings out all the powers of body and mind is the best thing for us all; but practically most people do all they can to get rid of it, and as a general rule nobody does much more than circumstances drive them to do." in the context of ""The Lady Who Does Her Own Work" in The Atlantic Monthly (1864)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Harriet Beecher Stowe" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (14 June 1811 – 1 July 1896) was an American abolitionist and writer, most famous as the author of the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.
About Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (14 June 1811 – 1 July 1896) was an American abolitionist and writer, most famous as the author of the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.
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