“Simple, generous goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon.”
- Source
- Little Men
- Date
- 1871
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Friedrich Bhaer
Meaning of “Simple, generous goodness is the best capital to…”
Good character is compared with capital because generosity and reliability can support a life more durably than reputation or money alone, especially when circumstances change.
Where does it come from?
Little Men; Alcott contrasts durable goodness with forms of success that can disappear, treating moral character as a lasting foundation for life’s work.
Why the local voice matters
Mr. Bhaer says this in Little Men while describing John Brooke’s quiet goodness and the legacy of his character.