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How delightful is the company of generous people, who…

“How delightful is the company of generous people, who overlook trifles and keep their minds instinctively fixed on whatever is good and positive in the world about them. People of small caliber are always carping. They are bent on showing their own superiority, their knowledge or prowess or good…” quote by Van Wyck Brooks
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“How delightful is the company of generous people, who overlook trifles and keep their minds instinctively fixed on whatever is good and positive in the world about them. People of small caliber are always carping. They are bent on showing their own superiority, their knowledge or prowess or good breeding. But magnanimous people have no vanity, they have no jealousy, and they feed on the true and the solid wherever they find it. And what is more, they find it everywhere.”

Van Wyck Brooks

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Generous people focus on good and positive things, ignoring petty concerns, while small‑minded people criticize and seek superiority; magnanimity lacks vanity and jealousy, thriving on truth wherever it is found.

In simple terms: Kindness looks for good, while envy seeks to dominate.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate generosity and seek truth.

Themes

generosity humility vanity truth

Mood

optimistic inspirational

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

  • leadership
  • community building
  • conflict resolution
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

social psychology ethics character development

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we encourage magnanimity in competitive settings?
  • What practices help us stay humble?
A Different Perspective

Generosity can be challenged by competitive environments that reward self‑promotion.

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