--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It only shows how true the old saying is…" description: "\"“It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries, gentlemen. From \"Pickwick Papers\" ch. 49 page 646”\" — C..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg" --- # It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never… ![“It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries, gentlemen. From "Pickwick Papers" ch. 49 page 646” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg) > ““It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries, gentlemen. From "Pickwick Papers" ch. 49 page 646”” [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One only discovers true capability after attempting the task. **In simple terms:** Try to know what you can do. Key Takeaway Take action to reveal potential. Themes courage self‑discovery effort Mood inspirational reflective Type literary personal growth When to use this quote - personal challenges - team projects - creative endeavors Key Concepts literature human potential Questions to Reflect On - What have you avoided trying? - How did a past attempt change your view? A Different Perspective Failure can discourage further attempts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gentlemen Pickwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentlemen-pickwick-5361870/) [Man Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-knows/) [Old saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-saying/) [Saying Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-man-585954/) [Tries Gentlemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tries-gentlemen-5361869/) ## Related quotes > [There is an old saying: if a man comes home with sand in his cuffs and cockleburs in his pants, don't ask him what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-snead/there-is-an-old-saying-if-a-man-comes-home-with-sand-in-his-cuffs-and/) [Sam Snead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-snead/) > [You know the old saying, 'Give a man a plastic hand...'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tyler/you-know-the-old-saying-give-a-man-a-plastic-hand/) [Rose Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tyler/) > [“A man never begins by presenting himself as an individual of a certain sex; it goes without saying that he is a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/a-man-never-begins-by-presenting-himself-as-an-individual-of-a/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“You’ve heard the saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-hogue/you-ve-heard-the-saying-give-a-man-a-fish-and-you-feed-him-for-a-day/) [Roberto Hogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-hogue/) > [“They are talking like fools. They are saying that two and two make nothing. They are saying that a man will have to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/they-are-talking-like-fools-they-are-saying-that-two-and-two-make/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“It is not good to do too much at once. We have a saying. A man cannot walk on two different paths at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-arruda/it-is-not-good-to-do-too-much-at-once-we-have-a-saying-a-man-cannot/) [Suzanne Arruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-arruda/) > [ The Man \[Chorus:\] Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-driftking-whitmore/the-man-chorus-well-you-can-tell-everybody-yeah-you-can-tell/) [Corey Driftking Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-driftking-whitmore/) > [“Then I’ll have you chained up.’ What are you saying, man, chain me up? You can chain my leg, but not even Zeus can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/then-i-ll-have-you-chained-up-what-are-you-saying-man-chain-me-up-you/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“You're saying that man "makes" his territory by naming the "things" in it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/you-re-saying-that-man-makes-his-territory-by-naming-the-things-in-it/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [Seeing a perfect relationship saying 'Man, if only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-a-perfect-relationship-saying-man-if-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A man is only as effective as the effect he has on his surroundings,' Gordon was saying. 'And if a man is not effective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/a-man-is-only-as-effective-as-the-effect-he-has-on-his-surroundings/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I'm not used to saying no to this man on any level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-mackris/i-m-not-used-to-saying-no-to-this-man-on-any-level/) [Andrea Mackris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-mackris/) > [“ 'You know that saying, give a man enough rope?' When Matt nodded, Howard continued. 'I can assure you the person who came up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-langley/you-know-that-saying-give-a-man-enough-rope-when-matt-nodded-howard/) [J.L. Langley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-langley/) > [When you say 'Black is beautiful' you are saying, 'Man you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/when-you-say-black-is-beautiful-you-are-saying-man-you-are-okay-as/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [“Sandra was fond of an old Russian saying: When a man causes you a problem, remember: no man, no problem. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/sandra-was-fond-of-an-old-russian-saying-when-a-man-causes-you-a/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) ## More by Charles Dickens > [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [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/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“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/) > [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More Old saying quotes > [The old saying is true: If you have only the Word, you dry up. If you have only the Spirit, you blow up. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/the-old-saying-is-true-if-you-have-only-the-word-you-dry-up-if-you/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [“Go ahead. Ask me who the father is.” He only smiled. “Do I look that stupid to you?” She pushed back her short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/go-ahead-ask-me-who-the-father-is-he-only-smiled-do-i-look-that/) [Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/) > [“There's the old saying "I felt bad because I didn't have a pair of shoes until I met a man who didn't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-the-old-saying-i-felt-bad-because-i-didn-t-have-a-pair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't ever compare a girl to a bulldog. You may see the side you don't want to. Now if you compare her to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-whalen/don-t-ever-compare-a-girl-to-a-bulldog-you-may-see-the-side-you-don-t/) [Savannah Whalen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-whalen/) > [There is an old saying: if a man comes home with sand in his cuffs and cockleburs in his pants, don't ask him what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-snead/there-is-an-old-saying-if-a-man-comes-home-with-sand-in-his-cuffs-and/) [Sam Snead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-snead/) > [There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/there-is-an-old-saying-which-from-its-truth-has-become-proverbial/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [My name is Nwori Joshua and I am the world's most sorrowful young man on earth and the world's biggest Jerk. I sought for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nwori-joshua/my-name-is-nwori-joshua-and-i-am-the-world-s-most-sorrowful-young-man/) [Nwori Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nwori-joshua/) > [When will you Australians learn? In America we stopped using corporal punishment, and things have never been better! The streets are safe. Old people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-simpson/when-will-you-australians-learn-in-america-we-stopped-using-corporal/) [Homer Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-simpson/) > [“Echoing right-wing racist rhetoric, liberal organizations routinely smear "illegitimate," nonpacifist resistance as senseless and the work of irrational "thugs." And yet it is precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tipu-s-tiger/echoing-right-wing-racist-rhetoric-liberal-organizations-routinely/) [Tipu's Tiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tipu-s-tiger/) > [“You know the old saying: 'one riot, one Ranger.'" The saying stemmed from a legendary event in the past. A minor fief had risen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/you-know-the-old-saying-one-riot-one-ranger-the-saying-stemmed-from-a/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [I mean come on. Do you know how easy it is to be famous these days? Do you have any idea? The web has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-mean-come-on-do-you-know-how-easy-it-is-to-be-famous-these-days-do/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [It's better to shake off superficial sometimes fake friends. There's a lot of truth in the old saying birds of a feather flock together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-better-to-shake-off-superficial-sometimes-fake-friends-there-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As the old saying goes, when seconds count the police are just minutes away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/as-the-old-saying-goes-when-seconds-count-the-police-are-just-minutes/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There's an old saying amongst players in football talking about your general manger and coaches, they speak with a forked tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-namath/there-s-an-old-saying-amongst-players-in-football-talking-about-your/) [Joe Namath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-namath/) [Browse all 274 Old saying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-saying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries, gentlemen. From \"Pickwick Papers\" ch. 49 page 646”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is-that-a-man-never-knows-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Old saying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is-that-a-man-never-knows-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/charles-dickens-34_old-saying_it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is_2287424.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It only shows how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries, gentlemen…” — Charles Dickens", "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 Dickens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It only shows how true the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is-that-a-man-never-knows-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-only-shows-how-true-the-old-saying-is-that-a-man-never-knows-what/#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 } } ] } ```