---
title: "The finest woman in nature should not detain me an hour from you; but… — Richard Steele Quote #6 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "The finest woman in nature should not detain me an hour from you; but you must sometimes suffer the rivalship of the wisest men. — a quote by Richard Steele."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # The finest woman in nature should not detain me an hour from you; but you must sometimes suffer the rivalship of the wisest men.

[Richard Steele](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Steele)\#6

[Intellect](https://quotesby.net/topics/intellect/)[Love](https://quotesby.net/topics/love/)[Rivalry](https://quotesby.net/topics/rivalry/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?No woman should distract from you, but wise men are acceptable rivals.In plain termsNo woman should take my time from you, but wise men can compete.What can you take from it?Value your partner but accept intellectual rivalry.

### Where it applies

- romance
- friendship
- intellectual circles

### Putting it to work

- relationship boundaries
- networking
- socializing

### Questions to consider

- How do you handle rivals?
- What takes priority in love?

### Another view

It frames relationships in possessive and competitive terms.

## More from Richard Steele

1. > A little in drink, but at all times yr faithful husband.

[Permalink to quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Steele/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")
2. > When you fall into a man's conversation, the first thing you should consider is, whether he has a greater inclination to hear you, or that you should hear him.

[Permalink to quote \#7](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Steele/7/ "Permalink to quote 7")
3. > I was going home two hours ago, but was met by Mr. Griffith, who has kept me ever since. I will come within a pint of wine.

[Permalink to quote \#4](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Steele/4/ "Permalink to quote 4")

## Related quotes

1. > Remember only this of our hopeless love That never till Time is done Will the fire of the heart and the fire of the mind be one.

[Edith Sitwell](https://quotesby.net/Edith-Sitwell)[Edith Sitwell quote \#25](https://quotesby.net/Edith-Sitwell/25/ "Permalink to quote 25")
2. > 'Let's see if I've got this straight,' he returned. It was a phrase of hers that he had adopted 'It's a lazy Saturday afternoon, and there's this couple lying …

[Carl Sagan](https://quotesby.net/Carl-Sagan)[Carl Sagan quote \#38](https://quotesby.net/Carl-Sagan/38/ "Permalink to quote 38")
3. > I love chess, and I hate the Russians because they've almost ruined it.

[Bobby Fischer](https://quotesby.net/Bobby-Fischer)[Bobby Fischer quote \#99](https://quotesby.net/Bobby-Fischer/99/ "Permalink to quote 99")

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