"Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have been afraid of it since"

In this quote, Abigail Adams is assessing the story of Adam and Eve from the Bible. She acknowledges that understanding is an important and preferable thing, as Eve thought when she ate the prohibited fruit. Nevertheless, Adams also recognizes that Eve dealt with effects for her pursuit of understanding, and as an outcome, many women have actually been reluctant to look for understanding and education. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the social expectations and restrictions placed on ladies, along with the fear of facing effects for difficult standard gender roles. Adams is highlighting the struggles and sacrifices that females have actually made in their pursuit of understanding and motivates future generations to continue to value and pursue education.