48 quotes about Modesty

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

— Addison, Joseph

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

Modesty is the conscience of the body.

— Balzac, Honore De

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

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

— Bevan, Aneurin

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

She just wore enough for modesty; no more!

— Buchanan, Robert

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

— Chesterfield, Lord

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

— Churchill, Winston

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

— Colby, Frank Moore

Modesty is the color of virtue.

— Diogenes of Sinope

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.

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

— Franklin, Benjamin

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

— Gibran, Kahlil

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

— Girardin, Madame de

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

— Goldsmith, Oliver

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

No truly great person ever thought themselves so.

— Hazlitt, William

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

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

— Herford, Oliver

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

— Horace

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

— Howe, Edgar Watson

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

— Jackson, Jesse

Ornaments were invented by modesty.

— Joubert, Joseph

So rare is the union of beauty with modesty.

— Juvenal, (Decimus Junius Juvenalis)

The height of cleverness is being able to conceal it.

— La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

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

— Makris, Steve G.

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

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

— Manners, Miss

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

Be smart, but never show it.

— Mayer, Louis B

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

— Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley

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

— Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley

Modesty is the beauty of women.

— Proverb, Gaelic

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

— Proverb, Jewish

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

— Rostand, Jean

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

— Rousseau, Jean Jacques

Modesty forbids what the law does not.

— Seneca

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

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

— Shakespeare, William

Modesty is a quality in a lover more praised by the women than liked.

— Sheridan, Richard Brinsley

I have often wished I had time to cultivate modesty. But I am too busy thinking about myself.

— Sitwell, Dame Edith

Nothing can atone for the lack of modesty; without which beauty is ungraceful and wit detestable.

— Steele, Sir Richard

There's a lot to be said for the fellow who doesn't say it himself.

— Switzer, Maurice

When a woman has lost her chastity she will shrink from nothing.

— Tacitus, Publius Cornelius

The man who is ostentatious of his modesty is twin to the statue that wears a fig-leaf.

— Twain, Mark

Act as though you cannot fail but keep a humble spirit.

— Unknown, Source

It's always well to be the smartest thinker, but is won't get you very far unless you're the plainest talker.

— Unknown, Source