--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be good, be young, be true! Evil is…" description: "\"Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never despair.\" — Alexandre Dumas-fils" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/alexandre-dumas-fils-20412_be-good_be-good-be-young-be-true-evil-is-nothing_640381.png" --- # Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity… ![“Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never despair.” quote by Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/alexandre-dumas-fils-20412_be-good_be-good-be-young-be-true-evil-is-nothing_640381.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/alexandre-dumas-fils-20412_be-good_be-good-be-young-be-true-evil-is-nothing_640381.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/alexandre-dumas-fils-20412_be-good_be-good-be-young-be-true-evil-is-nothing_640381.png) > “Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never despair.” [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace youth, goodness, and truth; vanity leads to evil, but pride in virtue prevents despair. **In simple terms:** Stay good, young, true; avoid vanity and despair. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue and optimism. Themes youth virtue truth vanity despair Mood inspirational cautionary Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - ethical decision‑making - overcoming narcissism - maintaining hope Key Concepts moral philosophy existentialism self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - What does “pride of good” mean to you? - How can you guard against vanity? A Different Perspective Pride in virtue can become arrogance if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [True evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-evil/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [It's good to be young, but let's not kid ourselves/ It's better to pass on through those years and come out the other side/…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-good-to-be-young-but-let-s-not-kid-ourselves-it-s-better-to-pass/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Ahhh... It's good to be young and insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/ahhh-it-s-good-to-be-young-and-insane/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [Vanity, in a fairy tale, will make you evil. Vanity in the real world will drive you nuts. Vanity makes you say things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/vanity-in-a-fairy-tale-will-make-you-evil-vanity-in-the-real-world/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [God is the only evil. His vanity made him the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/god-is-the-only-evil-his-vanity-made-him-the-devil/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [I pride myself on being a good friend, and all my friends can attest to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-richards/i-pride-myself-on-being-a-good-friend-and-all-my-friends-can-attest/) [Kyle Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-richards/) > [Sometimes you change to survive, and some things you don't give up, or you're too prideful, and then you think well, what's pride? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/sometimes-you-change-to-survive-and-some-things-you-don-t-give-up-or/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [As long as you've got pride, you're good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/as-long-as-you-ve-got-pride-you-re-good/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I have come to the conclusion that it's a waste of time to have too much pride in anything. Perhaps it's good to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-it-s-a-waste-of-time-to-have-too/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I was probably a terrible husband, but I pride myself on being a good dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/i-was-probably-a-terrible-husband-but-i-pride-myself-on-being-a-good/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/there-are-two-kinds-of-pride-both-good-and-bad-good-pride-represents/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Give up pride for good during the holidays. This is where I've been especially stubborn. As I walk more and more in this path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/give-up-pride-for-good-during-the-holidays-this-is-where-i-ve-been/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [It's special to me, a privilege being a role model. I take pride in being a good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/it-s-special-to-me-a-privilege-being-a-role-model-i-take-pride-in/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [“There is no vanity so damaging to a man's character as pride over his good deeds!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-c-douglas/there-is-no-vanity-so-damaging-to-a-man-s-character-as-pride-over-his/) [Lloyd C. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-c-douglas/) > [Pride is a good thing to have, but don't overdose on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wandini/pride-is-a-good-thing-to-have-but-don-t-overdose-on-it/) [Wandini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wandini/) > [I'm merely teaching you to be someone of pride and to be a good leader and that's the message I want you to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sizzla/i-m-merely-teaching-you-to-be-someone-of-pride-and-to-be-a-good/) [Sizzla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sizzla/) ## More by Alexandre Dumas-fils > [“The difference between genius and stupidity is: genius has its limits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/the-difference-between-genius-and-stupidity-is-genius-has-its-limits/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [Her delight in the smallest things was like that of a child. There were days when she ran in the garden, like a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/her-delight-in-the-smallest-things-was-like-that-of-a-child-there/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [The chains of marriage are so heavy that it takes two to bear them, sometimes three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/the-chains-of-marriage-are-so-heavy-that-it-takes-two-to-bear-them/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [Love without esteem cannot go far or reach high. It is an angel with only one wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/love-without-esteem-cannot-go-far-or-reach-high-it-is-an-angel-with/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [“I gave myself to you sooner than I ever did to any man, I swear to you; and do you know why? Because when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/i-gave-myself-to-you-sooner-than-i-ever-did-to-any-man-i-swear-to-you/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [The child is small, and he includes the man; the brain is narrow, and it harbours thought; the eye is but a point, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/the-child-is-small-and-he-includes-the-man-the-brain-is-narrow-and-it/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [“God almost always opens two ways which lead thither, the ways of sorrow and of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/god-almost-always-opens-two-ways-which-lead-thither-the-ways-of/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [We are not allowed to have hearts, under penalty of being hooted down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/we-are-not-allowed-to-have-hearts-under-penalty-of-being-hooted-down/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [“Here is Christianity with its marvellous parable of the Prodigal Son to teach us indulgence and pardon. Jesus was full of love for souls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/here-is-christianity-with-its-marvellous-parable-of-the-prodigal-son/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [“Well, sir, embrace me once, as you would embrace your daughter, and I swear to you that that kiss, the only chaste kiss I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/well-sir-embrace-me-once-as-you-would-embrace-your-daughter-and-i/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [We must have done something very wicked before we were born, or else we must be going to be very happy indeed when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/we-must-have-done-something-very-wicked-before-we-were-born-or-else/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [One has always had a childhood, whatever one becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/one-has-always-had-a-childhood-whatever-one-becomes/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) [Explore all 13 Alexandre Dumas-fils quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be good, be young, be true! 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