Quotes about modesty

"Modesty is not only an ornament, but also a guard to virtue."

Addison, Joseph on modesty   

"Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty."

Alcott, Louisa May on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"Modesty is the conscience of the body."

Balzac, Honore De on modesty   

"No sex, age, or condition is above or below the absolute necessity of modesty; but without it one vastly beneath the rank of man."

Barton, Bruce on modesty   

"He seems determined to make a trumpet sound like a tin whistle."

Bevan, Aneurin on modesty   

"A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself."

Bruyere, Jean De La on modesty   

"She just wore enough for modesty; no more!"

Buchanan, Robert on modesty   

"Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise."

Chesterfield, Lord on modesty   

"He is a modest little man who has a good deal to be modest about."

Churchill, Winston on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"That is the consolation of a little mind; you have the fun of changing it without impeding the progress of mankind."

Colby, Frank Moore on modesty   

"Modesty is the color of virtue."

Diogenes of Sinope on modesty   

"If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes that the meek shall inherit the earth they have not often let their presence be known."

Du Bois, William E. B. on modesty   

"To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness."

Franklin, Benjamin on modesty
6 fans of this quote   

"I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires."

Gibran, Kahlil on modesty
5 fans of this quote   

"Modesty is the chastity of merit, the virginity of noble souls."

Girardin, Madame de on modesty   

"Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues."

Goldsmith, Oliver on modesty   

"Modesty is the lowest of the virtues, and is a real confession of the deficiency it indicates. He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued by others."

Hazlitt, William on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"No truly great person ever thought themselves so."

Hazlitt, William on modesty   

"I don't like to write like God. It is only because you never do it, though, that the critics think you can't do it."

Hemingway, Ernest on modesty   

"Modesty; the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it."

Herford, Oliver on modesty   

"Usually the modest person passes for someone reserved, the silent for a sullen person"

Horace on modesty   

"The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them."

Howe, Edgar Watson on modesty   

"Great things happen in small places. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Jesse Jackson was born in Greenville."

Jackson, Jesse on modesty   

"Ornaments were invented by modesty."

Joubert, Joseph on modesty   

"So rare is the union of beauty with modesty."

Juvenal, (Decimus Junius Juvenalis) on modesty   

"The height of cleverness is being able to conceal it."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"Always remember when you are on top of the world , that the earth rotates every 24 hrs."

Makris, Steve G. on modesty   

"Because impudence is a vice, it does not follow that modesty is a virtue; it is built upon shame, a passion in our nature, and may be either good or bad according to the actions performed from that motive."

Mandeville, Bernard on modesty   

"It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help"

Manners, Miss on modesty   

"Fidelity to conscience is inconsistent with retiring modesty. If it be so, let the modesty succumb. It can be only a false modesty which can be thus endangered."

Martineau, Harriet on modesty   

"Be smart, but never show it."

Mayer, Louis B on modesty   

"Be plain in dress, and sober in your diet; In short, my dear, kiss me and be quiet."

Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley on modesty   

"No modest man ever did or ever will make a fortune."

Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley on modesty   

"Modesty is the beauty of women."

Proverb, Gaelic on modesty   

"Do not make yourself so big, you are not so small."

Proverb, Jewish on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"We must watch over our modesty in the presence of those who cannot understand its grounds."

Rostand, Jean on modesty   

"Although modesty is natural to man, it is not natural to children. Modesty only begins with the knowledge of evil."

Rousseau, Jean Jacques on modesty   

"Modesty forbids what the law does not."

Seneca on modesty   

"Lord Bacon told Sir Edward Coke when he was boasting, The less you speak of your greatness, the more shall I think of it."

Shakespeare, William on modesty
3 fans of this quote   

"We wound our modesty and make foul the clearness of our deservings, when of ourselves we publish them."

Shakespeare, William on modesty
3 fans of this quote