--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is…" description: "\"A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is credited with all the virtues, for we charitably suppose that a surface so unattractive must be compensated by i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/a-p-herbert-18929_blessing_a-dull-speaker-like-a-plain-woman-is-cre_3011155.png" --- # A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is credited with all… ![“A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is credited with all the virtues, for we charitably suppose that a surface so unattractive must be compensated by interior blessings.” quote by A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/a-p-herbert-18929_blessing_a-dull-speaker-like-a-plain-woman-is-cre_3011155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/a-p-herbert-18929_blessing_a-dull-speaker-like-a-plain-woman-is-cre_3011155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/a-p-herbert-18929_blessing_a-dull-speaker-like-a-plain-woman-is-cre_3011155.png) > “A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is credited with all the virtues, for we charitably suppose that a surface so unattractive must be compensated by interior blessings.” [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A speaker lacking charisma is praised because listeners assume inner worth compensates for outward dullness. **In simple terms:** Plain speakers are given credit for hidden virtues. Key Takeaway Don’t judge solely by appearance; seek substance. Themes perception bias virtue Mood skeptical reflective Type philosophical social When to use this quote - job interviews - first impressions - public speaking Key Concepts social psychology stereotyping Questions to Reflect On - Do you value substance over style? - When might appearance be a reliable cue? A Different Perspective Assumptions can mask true competence or flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull/) [Dull Speaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull-speaker-4829172/) [Interiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interiors/) [Speakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speakers/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Surface Unattractive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface-unattractive-4829174/) [Unattractive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unattractive/) [Unattractive Compensated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unattractive-compensated-4829173/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s a strange but consistent trait of people who consider themselves unattractive. They look embarrassed if you suggest that they might be interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/it-s-a-strange-but-consistent-trait-of-people-who-consider-themselves/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [“Some people in orthodox churches in Africa take poverty as a path that leads to heaven, making christianity look unattractive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/some-people-in-orthodox-churches-in-africa-take-poverty-as-a-path/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“you aren't alone because you are ugly or unattractive - you are alone because everyone, including you, is afraid to express themselves - practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-charles-cain/you-aren-t-alone-because-you-are-ugly-or-unattractive-you-are-alone/) [David Charles Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-charles-cain/) > [I was a personality before I became a person - I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy and driven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/i-was-a-personality-before-i-became-a-person-i-am-simple-complex/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [If we were living in ancient Rome or Greece, I would be considered sickly and unattractive. The times dictate that thin is better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/if-we-were-living-in-ancient-rome-or-greece-i-would-be-considered/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [My entire film career's been dependent on my ability to look unattractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/my-entire-film-career-s-been-dependent-on-my-ability-to-look/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [Iniesta doesn't dye his hair, he doesn't wear earrings and he hasn't got any tattoos. Maybe that makes him unattractive to the media but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/iniesta-doesn-t-dye-his-hair-he-doesn-t-wear-earrings-and-he-hasn-t/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [Yes, testosterone-sodden young men too unattractive to get a woman in this world might be desperate enough to go for 72 private virgins in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/yes-testosterone-sodden-young-men-too-unattractive-to-get-a-woman-in/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Ladies,don't go around telling your men how unattractive you are. You should never put yourself down especially in front of your partner. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/ladies-don-t-go-around-telling-your-men-how-unattractive-you-are-you/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Here's a little irony of life. The more u surrender your life to someone. The more unattractive u become to that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/here-s-a-little-irony-of-life-the-more-u-surrender-your-life-to/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The unattractive thing about chauvinism is not so much the aversion to other nations as the love of one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/the-unattractive-thing-about-chauvinism-is-not-so-much-the-aversion/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Autograph-hunting is the most unattractive manifestation of sex-starved curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-olivier/autograph-hunting-is-the-most-unattractive-manifestation-of-sex/) [Laurence Olivier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-olivier/) > [May the state fence in the harmless mentally ill solely to save its citizens from exposure to those whose ways are different? One might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/potter-stewart/may-the-state-fence-in-the-harmless-mentally-ill-solely-to-save-its/) [Potter Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/potter-stewart/) > [At the age of 11 I was about 6 ft. tall and my voice had completely broken. That caused problems. I was this gangly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-stevens/at-the-age-of-11-i-was-about-6-ft-tall-and-my-voice-had-completely/) [Dan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-stevens/) > [Not many women will go out on a limb to make themselves really unattractive and unfeminine so you can get the laughs, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/not-many-women-will-go-out-on-a-limb-to-make-themselves-really/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) ## More by A. P. Herbert > [The portions of a woman which appeal to man's depravity Are constructed with considerable care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/the-portions-of-a-woman-which-appeal-to-man-s-depravity-are/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [An act of God was defined as something which no reasonable man could have expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/an-act-of-god-was-defined-as-something-which-no-reasonable-man-could/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [“At the Theatre: To the Lady Behind Me Dear Madam, you have seen this play; I never saw it till today. You know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/at-the-theatre-to-the-lady-behind-me-dear-madam-you-have-seen-this/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [As my poor father used to say In 1963, Once people start on all this Art Goodbye, moralitee! And what my father used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/as-my-poor-father-used-to-say-in-1963-once-people-start-on-all-this/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [For I must write to The Times tonight, and save the world from sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/for-i-must-write-to-the-times-tonight-and-save-the-world-from-sin/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [The Common Law of England has been laboriously built about a mythical figure-the figure of 'The Reasonable Man'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/the-common-law-of-england-has-been-laboriously-built-about-a-mythical/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [Justice should be cheap but judges expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/justice-should-be-cheap-but-judges-expensive/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [“Holy Mother we do believe, That without sin Thou didst conceive; May we now in Thee believing, Also sin without conceiving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/holy-mother-we-do-believe-that-without-sin-thou-didst-conceive-may-we/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [A man who has made up his mind on a given subject twenty-five years ago and continues to hold his political opinions after he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/a-man-who-has-made-up-his-mind-on-a-given-subject-twenty-five-years/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [Citizens who take it upon themselves to do unusual actions which attract the attention of the police should be careful to bring these actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/citizens-who-take-it-upon-themselves-to-do-unusual-actions-which/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [aven, I have given up smoking again!... God! I feel fit. Homicidal, but fit. A different man. Irritable, moody, depressed, rude, nervy, perhaps; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/aven-i-have-given-up-smoking-again-god-i-feel-fit-homicidal-but-fit-a/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [There is no reason why a joke should not be appreciated more than once. Imagine how little good music there would be if, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/there-is-no-reason-why-a-joke-should-not-be-appreciated-more-than/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [Well, fancy giving money to the Government! Might as well have put it down the drain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/well-fancy-giving-money-to-the-government-might-as-well-have-put-it/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [Men who would face torture without a word become blasphemous at the short fourteenth. It is clear that the game of golf may well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/men-who-would-face-torture-without-a-word-become-blasphemous-at-the/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) > [People must not do things for fun. We are not here for fun. There is no reference to fun in any Act of Parliament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-herbert/people-must-not-do-things-for-fun-we-are-not-here-for-fun-there-is-no/) [A. P. Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) [Explore all 33 A. P. Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-herbert/) ## More Blessing quotes > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“When Jesus finished teaching in a synagogue one day, a woman called out from the audience, 'God bless your mother—the womb from which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bessey/when-jesus-finished-teaching-in-a-synagogue-one-day-a-woman-called/) [Sarah Bessey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bessey/) > [“I've never felt a pain that didn't bear a blessing. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-knudsen-hoffman/i-ve-never-felt-a-pain-that-didn-t-bear-a-blessing/) [Gene Knudsen Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-knudsen-hoffman/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy. Others attain unto a glory and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/the-only-men-who-become-gods-even-the-sons-of-god-are-those-who-enter/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. 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Work is a blessing; it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/down-where-i-grew-up-able-bodied-people-do-that-which-we-believe-god/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) [Browse all 4,617 Blessing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A dull speaker, like a plain woman, is credited with all the virtues, for we charitably suppose that a surface so unattractive must be compensated by interior blessings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. P. 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