--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A perfect character might be attended…" description: "\"A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png" --- # A perfect character might be attended with the… ![“A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png) > “A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A flawless reputation invites envy and hostility; a kind person must tolerate minor flaws to maintain friendships. **In simple terms:** Perfection draws jealousy; kindness needs tolerance. Key Takeaway Accept imperfections in yourself and others. Themes humility relationships reputation Mood thoughtful reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - friendship - conflict resolution Key Concepts social dynamics self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑improvement with accepting flaws? - When is it wiser to overlook minor faults? A Different Perspective Perfection can isolate you despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inconvenience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inconvenience/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Only those beneath me can envy or hate me. I have never been envied nor hated; I am above no one. Only those above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/only-those-beneath-me-can-envy-or-hate-me-i-have-never-been-envied/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [ It is a most miserable lot to be without an enemy. \[No man can be successful without being envied and hated.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-a-most-miserable-lot-to-be-without-an-enemy-no-man-can-be/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [I don't want a perfect character, I want a character who has, as strange as it sounds, some humanity, some flaws, some needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-don-t-want-a-perfect-character-i-want-a-character-who-has-as/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [The object of man's worship, whatever it be, will naturally be his standard of perfection. He clothes it with every attribute, belonging, in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-greenleaf/the-object-of-man-s-worship-whatever-it-be-will-naturally-be-his/) [Simon Greenleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-greenleaf/) > [Create a really interesting, complex person that you want to know more about, and take her on a journey that is rich and fulfilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/create-a-really-interesting-complex-person-that-you-want-to-know-more/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [This is the mark of a perfect character - to pass through each day as though it were the last, without agitation, without torpor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/this-is-the-mark-of-a-perfect-character-to-pass-through-each-day-as/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I felt the script of 'Shivajinagara' was perfect as my character is that of a good guy with shades of grey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adithya-menon/i-felt-the-script-of-shivajinagara-was-perfect-as-my-character-is/) [Adithya Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adithya-menon/) > [I'm drawn to the not-so-perfect character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-diaz/i-m-drawn-to-the-not-so-perfect-character/) [Guillermo Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-diaz/) > [When I see nothing annihilated, and not even a drop of water wasted, I cannot suspect the annihilation of souls Thus finding myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/when-i-see-nothing-annihilated-and-not-even-a-drop-of-water-wasted-i/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Men are subject to various inconveniences merely through lack of a small share of courage, which is a quality very necessary in the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/men-are-subject-to-various-inconveniences-merely-through-lack-of-a/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [It is wonderful how preposterously the affairs of the world are managed. We assemble parliaments and councils to have the benefit of collected wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/it-is-wonderful-how-preposterously-the-affairs-of-the-world-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of the present but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-human-situations-have-their-inconveniences-we-feel-those-of-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Be not niggardly of what costs thee nothing, as courtesy, counsel, & countenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/be-not-niggardly-of-what-costs-thee-nothing-as-courtesy-counsel/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I believe long habits of virtue have a sensible effect on the countenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-believe-long-habits-of-virtue-have-a-sensible-effect-on-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The higher animals get their teeth without pain or inconvenience. Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Benevolent quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Intelligent Design opens the whole possibility of us being created in the image of a benevolent God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/intelligent-design-opens-the-whole-possibility-of-us-being-created-in/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [The soul of the truly benevolent man does not seem to reside much in his own body. Its life, to a great extent, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/the-soul-of-the-truly-benevolent-man-does-not-seem-to-reside-much-in/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [If Despotism failed only for want of a capable benevolent despot, what chance has Democracy, which requires a whole population of capable voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-despotism-failed-only-for-want-of-a-capable-benevolent-despot-what/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“There's no pain on earth that doesn't require a benevolent witness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/there-s-no-pain-on-earth-that-doesn-t-require-a-benevolent-witness/) [sue monk kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [You can't have it both ways. You can't have both free will and a benevolent higher power who protects you from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/you-can-t-have-it-both-ways-you-can-t-have-both-free-will-and-a/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/a-universal-peace-it-is-to-be-feared-is-in-the-catalogue-of-events/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [What am I writing for anyway? Is it like dreaming? Is it a benevolent process? Something that moves the past forward? And what about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selima-hill/what-am-i-writing-for-anyway-is-it-like-dreaming-is-it-a-benevolent/) [Selima Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selima-hill/) > [The Jews looked for a special savior, a messiah, who was to redeem mankind by the agreeable process of restoring the fabulous glories of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-jews-looked-for-a-special-savior-a-messiah-who-was-to-redeem/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [“It’s okay, buddy!” I shade my eyes and look up at the sky. “Luckily for you, I am both stunningly good-looking and benevolent. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/it-s-okay-buddy-i-shade-my-eyes-and-look-up-at-the-sky-luckily-for/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“My creed on the subject of slavery is short. Slavery per se is not sin. It is a social condition ordained from the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-morse/my-creed-on-the-subject-of-slavery-is-short-slavery-per-se-is-not-sin/) [Samuel Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-morse/) > [The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-charming-aspect-of-christmas-is-the-fact-that-it-expresses-good/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [... so large a portion of those who hold much capital, instead of using their various advantages for the greatest good of those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/so-large-a-portion-of-those-who-hold-much-capital-instead-of-using/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) Browse all 289 Benevolent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-with-the-inconvenience-of-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benevolent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-with-the-inconvenience-of-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/benjamin-franklin-65_benevolent_a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-wi_478952.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a…” — Benjamin Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A perfect character might be attended...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-with-the-inconvenience-of-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-perfect-character-might-be-attended-with-the-inconvenience-of-being/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```