# Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity by William Shakespeare > “Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” > **— William Shakespeare**, *As You Like It, Act II, scene 1* ## Sources and Context - **Direct or authoritative text:** [As You Like It, Act II, scene 1](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1523/1523-h/1523-h.htm) — Project Gutenberg text of *As You Like It*, Act II, scene 1. - **Why it belongs here:** The passage describes improvement, revelation, learning, or increased capability through opposition, error, difficulty, or adversity. It does not imply that unlimited injury is beneficial. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Book:** [[books/Chimping Out|Chimping Out]] - **Article:** [[articles/Ideas as Lindy Organisms|Ideas as Lindy Organisms]] - **Article:** [[articles/artificial-intelligence/Cybernetic Domestication Syndrome of Men and AI|Cybernetic Domestication Syndrome of Men and AI]] - **Article:** [[articles/Authorship After the Threshold|Authorship After the Threshold]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Antifragility|Antifragility]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” — William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, scene 1 https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-william-shakespeare-uses-adversity ```