"Virtue knows that it is impossible to get on without compromise, and tunes herself, as it were, a trifle sharp to allow for an inevitable fall in playing"

This quote by Samuel Butler talks to the idea that virtue is not a static state, but rather something that should be actively maintained. Virtue is not something that can be achieved and then ignored, but rather something that needs to be continuously worked on and adjusted. Butler suggests that virtue should be "tuned" to represent the fact that it is impossible to get on without compromise. This suggests that one need to accept that there will be times when they must make compromises in order to get ahead, and that virtue needs to be adapted to represent this. This quote speaks to the concept that virtue is not a fixed state, but rather something that should be actively kept and adjusted in order to stay true to one's worths. It is a reminder that while compromise is sometimes essential, it ought to not be taken lightly, which virtue must be actively kept in order to stay true to one's values.