Who said “Great necessities call out great virtues.”?

Verified

Abigail Adams. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to John Quincy Adams (19 January 1780)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to John Quincy Adams (19 January 1780).

APA

Adams, A. (n.d.). Great necessities call out great virtues. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41403-great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/

MLA

Adams, Abigail. “Great necessities call out great virtues.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41403-great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Adams, Abigail. “Great necessities call out great virtues.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41403-great-necessities-call-out-great-virtues/.

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“Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”
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