--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When an Englishman has professed his…" description: "\"When an Englishman has professed his belief in the supremacy of Shakespeare amongst all poets, he feels himself excused from the general study of liter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/aubrey-beardsley-36473_belief_when-an-englishman-has-professed-his-bel_846079.jpg" --- # When an Englishman has professed his belief in the… ![“When an Englishman has professed his belief in the supremacy of Shakespeare amongst all poets, he feels himself excused from the general study of literature. He also feels himself excused from the particular study of Shakespeare.” quote by Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/aubrey-beardsley-36473_belief_when-an-englishman-has-professed-his-bel_846079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/aubrey-beardsley-36473_belief_when-an-englishman-has-professed-his-bel_846079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/aubrey-beardsley-36473_belief_when-an-englishman-has-professed-his-bel_846079.jpg) > “When an Englishman has professed his belief in the supremacy of Shakespeare amongst all poets, he feels himself excused from the general study of literature. He also feels himself excused from the particular study of Shakespeare.” [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming Shakespeare’s superiority excuses one from broader literary study, but also from deeper Shakespeare analysis. **In simple terms:** Overreliance on one authority limits broader learning. Key Takeaway Study diverse works, not just a single master. Themes literature authority study critical thinking Mood critical analytical Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - education - book clubs - academic curricula Key Concepts canon formation intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - Why do we elevate certain authors? - How can we appreciate Shakespeare without exclusivity? A Different Perspective Risk of narrowing perspective and missing other voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Englishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishman/) [Englishman Professed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishman-professed-697814/) [Englishmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/) [Excused Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excused-particular-697817/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Feels Excused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels-excused-697815/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-feels-697816/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Supremacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supremacy/) ## Related quotes > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [As an Englishman, permit me now to say with what pleasure I learnt of the election of Professor Planck and Professor Stark to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glover-barkla/as-an-englishman-permit-me-now-to-say-with-what-pleasure-i-learnt-of/) [Charles Glover Barkla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glover-barkla/) > [Put an Englishman into the garden of Eden, and he would find fault with the whole blasted concern; put a Yankee in, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/put-an-englishman-into-the-garden-of-eden-and-he-would-find-fault/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“I am not an Englishman, nor are you. 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You may learn another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/remember-that-those-five-hundred-words-an-average-englishman-uses-are/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [I am not an Englishman, I was never an Englishman, and I don't ever want to be one. I am a Scotsman! I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/i-am-not-an-englishman-i-was-never-an-englishman-and-i-don-t-ever/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [I am a proud Englishman and proud every time I pull on the England shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-calvert-lewin/i-am-a-proud-englishman-and-proud-every-time-i-pull-on-the-england/) [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-calvert-lewin/) > [I am by nature the most intolerant and insular Englishman... 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The more emotional they feel the less command they have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-like-to-see-an-angry-englishman-said-poirot-they-are-very-amusing/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Oh, dear, she thought, this is probably more democracy than an Englishman can stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-kelly/oh-dear-she-thought-this-is-probably-more-democracy-than-an/) [Carla Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-kelly/) ## More by Aubrey Beardsley > [Things shape themselves before my eyes just as a I draw them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/things-shape-themselves-before-my-eyes-just-as-a-i-draw-them/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [How few of our young English impressionists knew the difference between a palette and a picture! However, I believe that Walter Sickert did -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/how-few-of-our-young-english-impressionists-knew-the-difference/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [I have one aim—the grotesque. If I am not grotesque I am nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/i-have-one-aim-the-grotesque-if-i-am-not-grotesque-i-am-nothing/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [What is a portrait good for, unless it shows just how the subject was seen by the painter? In the old days before photography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/what-is-a-portrait-good-for-unless-it-shows-just-how-the-subject-was/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [I have always done my sketches, as people would say, for the fun of it... 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Every passer-by is my unconscious sitter; and as strange as it may seem, I really draw folk as I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/all-humanity-inspires-me-every-passer-by-is-my-unconscious-sitter-and/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [In the present age, alas! our pens are ravished by unlettered authors and unmannered critics, that make a havoc rather than a building, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/in-the-present-age-alas-our-pens-are-ravished-by-unlettered-authors/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) > [It takes only one man to make an artist, but forty to make an Academician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-beardsley/it-takes-only-one-man-to-make-an-artist-but-forty-to-make-an/) [Aubrey Beardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) [Explore all 13 Aubrey Beardsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-beardsley/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. 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Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. 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