--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two things which ought to teach…" description: "\"There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png" --- # There are two things which ought to teach us to think but… ![“There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegyrists.” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png) > “There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegyrists.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human glory is often distorted; the best are attacked, the worst praised. **In simple terms:** Fame is skewed by critics and admirers. Key Takeaway Question motives behind praise and criticism. Themes human nature reputation bias history literature Mood skeptical reflective Type analytical critical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - media analysis - personal reflection - leadership evaluation Key Concepts philosophy social critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from praising the worst? - How do critics shape our view of greatness? A Different Perspective Not all criticism is fair, nor all praise deserved. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Meanly Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meanly-human-5317154/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-teach-2118368/) [Panegyrists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panegyrists-5317156/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Think Meanly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-meanly-5317155/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-things/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Panegyrists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-panegyrists-5317153/) ## Related quotes > [Harvard has enough panegyrists without me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/harvard-has-enough-panegyrists-without-me/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Think meanly of me, Lina," said he. 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The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Glory quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. 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But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) [Browse all 3,719 Glory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegyrists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Caleb Colton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teach-us-to-think-but-meanly-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Glory" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teach-us-to-think-but-meanly-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/charles-caleb-colton-270_glory_there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teac_3091421.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had…” — Charles Caleb Colton", "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": "Charles Caleb Colton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are two things which ought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teach-us-to-think-but-meanly-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-two-things-which-ought-to-teach-us-to-think-but-meanly-of/#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 } } ] } ```