Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of… — C.S. Lewis | Printable Wall Art

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”

Words by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) — Author of The Chronicles of Narnia.

About this quote

This line suggests that courage is not merely an isolated character trait alongside honesty or kindness. Instead, it is the quality that allows every other virtue to hold firm under pressure. Honesty without courage fails when telling the truth carries a cost, and compassion fails when helping others becomes dangerous. True virtue is revealed only when it is tested.

This quote comes from C.S. Lewis's 1942 satirical book, The Screwtape Letters. In letter 29, the senior demon Screwtape reflects on human morality, explaining that virtues only retain their value when tested under severe pressure.

People often hang this print in a study or home office as a quiet daily reminder of moral strength.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.