His own generation, on the other hand, had sought distinction by pursuing fame rather than fortune, which was a higher standard in the Adams pecking order, though he was quick to insist that the quest for fame was just as irrational and ungovernable as the other emotions. “We must still remember,” he cautioned, “that this passion, although refined by the purest moral sentiments and intended to be governed by the best principles, is a passion still, and therefore like all other human desires, unlimited and insatiable.”
