--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speech has been given to man to disguise…" description: "\"Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.\" — Charles Maurice de Talleyrand" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg" --- # Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts. ![“Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.” quote by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg) > “Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.” [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speech can conceal true intentions, serving as a tool for deception. **In simple terms:** Words can hide thoughts. Key Takeaway Be critical of rhetoric. Themes politics communication deception Mood skeptical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - debates - public speaking - media consumption - negotiations Key Concepts rhetoric strategy truthfulness Questions to Reflect On - Why do leaders disguise thoughts? - When is concealment justified? A Different Perspective Honest speech may be rare, limiting trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Disguise Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise-thoughts-1278160/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Man Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-disguise-1278161/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parole/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-given-954366/) ## Related quotes > [ Speech was given to man to disguise his thoughts. \[Fr., La parole a ete donnce a l'homme pour deguiser sa pensee.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-was-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts-fr-la-parole-a-ete/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Speech was given to man to disguise his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/speech-was-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm too ambitious to give another man credit, even if that other man is only myself in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lock/i-m-too-ambitious-to-give-another-man-credit-even-if-that-other-man/) [Norman Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lock/) > [Everywhere man is in disguise! Who is who is unknown! Try to enter the mask and find out who the man inside really is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/everywhere-man-is-in-disguise-who-is-who-is-unknown-try-to-enter-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [When Harel wished to put a joke or witticism into circulation, he was in the habit of connecting it with some celebrated name, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-edouard-fournier/when-harel-wished-to-put-a-joke-or-witticism-into-circulation-he-was/) [Louis Edouard Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-edouard-fournier/) > [Speech was given to the ordinary sort or men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/speech-was-given-to-the-ordinary-sort-or-men-whereby-to-communicate/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Twas a special gift of God that speech was given to mankind; for through the Word, and not by force, wisdom governs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/twas-a-special-gift-of-god-that-speech-was-given-to-mankind-for/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Watch with your eyes wide open. If you have to disguise your thoughts, your feelings, your actions; what is the value of your being?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammi-post/watch-with-your-eyes-wide-open-if-you-have-to-disguise-your-thoughts/) [Tammi Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammi-post/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-was-given-to-man-to-conceal-his-thoughts/) [Charles Maurice De Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [If you go to the Lincoln Memorial, the Second Inaugural is probably the most religious speech ever given by an American President. In its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/if-you-go-to-the-lincoln-memorial-the-second-inaugural-is-probably/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [“Give me liberty or give me death." \[From a speech given at Saint John's Church in Richmond, Virginia on March 23, 1775 to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/give-me-liberty-or-give-me-death-from-a-speech-given-at-saint-john-s/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [Speech was given to the ordinary sort of men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/speech-was-given-to-the-ordinary-sort-of-men-whereby-to-communicate/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [“Rhiannon readied her speech. The speech she’d given more than once over the years to Éibhear and, when they were much younger, to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/rhiannon-readied-her-speech-the-speech-she-d-given-more-than-once/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/look-wise-say-nothing-and-grunt-speech-was-given-to-conceal-thought/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## More by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand > [What I have been taught, I have forgotten; what I know, I have guessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/what-i-have-been-taught-i-have-forgotten-what-i-know-i-have-guessed/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/black-as-the-devil-hot-as-hell-pure-as-an-angel-sweet-as-love/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [It is not an event; it is a piece of news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/it-is-not-an-event-it-is-a-piece-of-news/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Without freedom of the press, there can be no representative government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/without-freedom-of-the-press-there-can-be-no-representative-government/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [God gave humans language so they could conceal their thoughts from one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/god-gave-humans-language-so-they-could-conceal-their-thoughts-from/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Those who have not lived in the eighteenth century, in the years before the Revolution do not know the sweetness of living and cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/those-who-have-not-lived-in-the-eighteenth-century-in-the-years/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Beauty, devoid of grace, is a mere hook without the bait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/beauty-devoid-of-grace-is-a-mere-hook-without-the-bait/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [If we go on explaining we shall cease to understand one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/if-we-go-on-explaining-we-shall-cease-to-understand-one-another/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [An important art of politicians is to find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/an-important-art-of-politicians-is-to-find-new-names-for-institutions/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [She is such a good friend that she would throw all her acquaintances into the water for the pleasure of fishing them out again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/she-is-such-a-good-friend-that-she-would-throw-all-her-acquaintances/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [I found there a country with thirty-two religions and only one sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/i-found-there-a-country-with-thirty-two-religions-and-only-one-sauce/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [War is much too serious a thing to be left to military men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/war-is-much-too-serious-a-thing-to-be-left-to-military-men/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [There is one person that is wiser than anybody, and that is everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/there-is-one-person-that-is-wiser-than-anybody-and-that-is-everybody/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Suave molecules of Mocha stir up your blood, without causing excess heat; the organ of thought receives from it a feeling of sympathy; work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/suave-molecules-of-mocha-stir-up-your-blood-without-causing-excess/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [Those who did not live during the years close to 1789 do not know the pleasure of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/those-who-did-not-live-during-the-years-close-to-1789-do-not-know-the/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) [Explore all 52 Charles Maurice de Talleyrand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) ## More Disguise quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I am a dork in disguise; I love doing stupid stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/i-am-a-dork-in-disguise-i-love-doing-stupid-stuff/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My dad's idea of punishment was to dress me up in all green to disguise me as grass, and then throw me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-callen/my-dad-s-idea-of-punishment-was-to-dress-me-up-in-all-green-to/) [Bryan Callen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-callen/) > [Cameras are a lifesaver for very shy people who have nowhere else to hide. Behind a lens they can disguise the fact that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/cameras-are-a-lifesaver-for-very-shy-people-who-have-nowhere-else-to/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concentrate-attention-upon-myself/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The best live among us in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-dudek/the-best-live-among-us-in-disguise/) [Louis Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-dudek/) > [Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-man-is-a-divinity-in-disguise-a-god-playing-the-fool/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I have found that in fiction one is freer to speak the truth, if only because in fiction the truth is not expected or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sington/i-have-found-that-in-fiction-one-is-freer-to-speak-the-truth-if-only/) [Philip Sington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sington/) > [“He was a chameleon. He could change his appearance in seconds. He was a master in disguise and he could baffle the best in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/he-was-a-chameleon-he-could-change-his-appearance-in-seconds-he-was-a/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Those who cannot conceive of Friendship as a substantive love but only as a disguise or elaboration of Eros betray the fact that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-cannot-conceive-of-friendship-as-a-substantive-love-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Recognize problems as opportunities in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/recognize-problems-as-opportunities-in-disguise/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/life-is-i-am-anything-might-happen-and-i-believe-i-may-invest-my-life/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) [Browse all 784 Disguise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Maurice de Talleyrand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disguise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand_disguise_speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise_3202653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.” — Charles Maurice de Talleyrand", "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 Maurice de Talleyrand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Speech has been given to man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/speech-has-been-given-to-man-to-disguise-his-thoughts/#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 } } ] } ```