Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour…

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Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour… — Abigail Adams · Smartyfair

Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence.

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In plain words

Learning doesn't just happen to you. You have to chase it.

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How sure this is: 78% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
What turned up: Letter, Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams; Adams Papers doc 04-03-02-0240 (Founders Online, cataloged 20 Mar 1780, a multi-part letter continued 8 May 1780). Wikiquote independently lists this exact line as Sourced, citing '8 May 1780' — same document, resolving the apparent date discrepancy.
Work: Letter to her son John Quincy Adams (8 May 1780)
Occasion: 1780
Sources checked: en.wikiquote.orgChecked using claude-sonnet-5, 20 August 2026Fetched directly; confirmed quote in Sourced section, cited 'Letter to John Quincy Adams (8 May 1780)'.