--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Are we to go out with trumpets and tell…" description: "\"Are we to go out with trumpets and tell everything we know, just because it is true? Is there not such a thing as egotistical truthfulness?\" — Constanc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/constance-fenimore-woolson-385_discretion_are-we-to-go-out-with-trumpets-and-tell_1660178.png" --- # Are we to go out with trumpets and tell everything we… ![“Are we to go out with trumpets and tell everything we know, just because it is true? Is there not such a thing as egotistical truthfulness?” quote by Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/constance-fenimore-woolson-385_discretion_are-we-to-go-out-with-trumpets-and-tell_1660178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/constance-fenimore-woolson-385_discretion_are-we-to-go-out-with-trumpets-and-tell_1660178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/constance-fenimore-woolson-385_discretion_are-we-to-go-out-with-trumpets-and-tell_1660178.png) > “Are we to go out with trumpets and tell everything we know, just because it is true? Is there not such a thing as egotistical truthfulness?” [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True statements can be delivered with humility; arrogance distorts honesty. **In simple terms:** Truth should be shared modestly. Key Takeaway Speak truthfully without ego. Themes honesty humility communication Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal relationships - public discourse - teaching Key Concepts ethics self-awareness speech Questions to Reflect On - When is bold truth‑telling appropriate? - How can we balance honesty and modesty? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on humility may suppress necessary candor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discretion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discretion/) [Egotistical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotistical/) [Egotistical Truthfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotistical-truthfulness-749685/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Thing Egotistical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-egotistical-749687/) [Trumpets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpets/) [Trumpets Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpets-tell-749686/) [Truthfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthfulness/) ## Related quotes > [And after I act as your intermediary and he takes you back to Faery, then what?" "Then all will be made right, and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/and-after-i-act-as-your-intermediary-and-he-takes-you-back-to-faery/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every time I'm a good guy in a movie, which is the 'Marine,' people are like, 'Wow, you can play endearing. You can play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/every-time-i-m-a-good-guy-in-a-movie-which-is-the-marine-people-are/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) > [Someone else would come, another self that was a little more refined, that had a little more purity, a little more humility, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/someone-else-would-come-another-self-that-was-a-little-more-refined/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“She was not a person who froze someone’s character in her mind, calling this one egotistical and that one not nearly confident enough and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-winter/she-was-not-a-person-who-froze-someone-s-character-in-her-mind/) [Kathleen Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-winter/) > [Politics in Slovakia had long been a battle between egotistical men. Caputova sought to be the anti-ego alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/politics-in-slovakia-had-long-been-a-battle-between-egotistical-men/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [I'm a big old egotistical baby and that's okay. I can accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/i-m-a-big-old-egotistical-baby-and-that-s-okay-i-can-accept-it/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [“I can chart my own path.  However, I’ve yet to figure out why so many of my paths always seem to lead to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-can-chart-my-own-path-however-i-ve-yet-to-figure-out-why-so-many-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I'm much too egotistical to move outside the acting realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-m-much-too-egotistical-to-move-outside-the-acting-realm/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [My story was that I was egotistical, arrogant, and an absolute jerk to everyone who brags about everything - and I will - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/my-story-was-that-i-was-egotistical-arrogant-and-an-absolute-jerk-to/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) > [You are happiest when you are most humble. You are most miserable when you are egotistical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-happiest-when-you-are-most-humble-you-are-most-miserable-when/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Mostly, we think that a self-expressive person is egotistical. That may be true but what about someone who refrains from expressing himself to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/mostly-we-think-that-a-self-expressive-person-is-egotistical-that-may/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) > [“Of course you're not egotistical. I checked, and you look very humble in all 900 of the selfies you posted on facebook.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-mcquillen/of-course-you-re-not-egotistical-i-checked-and-you-look-very-humble/) [Sienna McQuillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-mcquillen/) > [“Nobility is often no more than the inner aspect which our egotistical feelings assume when we have not yet named and classified them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/nobility-is-often-no-more-than-the-inner-aspect-which-our-egotistical/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [If a man wants to get it right, he's looked up to and respected. If a woman wants to get it right, she's difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/if-a-man-wants-to-get-it-right-he-s-looked-up-to-and-respected-if-a/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [A lot of the things I did - it's not going to sound anything but egotistical - if I'm lucky and I did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/a-lot-of-the-things-i-did-it-s-not-going-to-sound-anything-but/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) ## More by Constance Fenimore Woolson > [My only wickedness is that I love you; my only goodness, the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/my-only-wickedness-is-that-i-love-you-my-only-goodness-the-same/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [It is easy to be humble when a greater is preferred; but when an inferior is lifted high above our heads, how can we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/it-is-easy-to-be-humble-when-a-greater-is-preferred-but-when-an/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [If we neglect our privileges, the gods take them from us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/if-we-neglect-our-privileges-the-gods-take-them-from-us/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [warm-heartedness generally begins at home, and those who are warm to others are warmer to themselves; it is but the overflow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/warm-heartedness-generally-begins-at-home-and-those-who-are-warm-to/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [O, pluck was he to the backbone and clear grit through and through; Boasted and bragged like a trooper; but the big words wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/o-pluck-was-he-to-the-backbone-and-clear-grit-through-and-through/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [Time is not so all-erasing as we think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/time-is-not-so-all-erasing-as-we-think/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [In tangled wreath, in clustered gleaming stars, In floating, curling sprays, The golden flower comes shining though the woods These February days; Forth go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/in-tangled-wreath-in-clustered-gleaming-stars-in-floating-curling/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [a daughter's love for a kind father ... is mixed with the careless happiness of childhood, which can never come again. Into the father's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/a-daughter-s-love-for-a-kind-father-is-mixed-with-the-careless/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [Theories are like scaffolding: they are not the house, but you cannot build the house without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/theories-are-like-scaffolding-they-are-not-the-house-but-you-cannot/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [“For years of faithfulness even as a child are not thrown away, but yield . . . a strength at last in times of trial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/for-years-of-faithfulness-even-as-a-child-are-not-thrown-away-but/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) [Explore all 11 Constance Fenimore Woolson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) ## More Discretion quotes > [The policeman on the beat or in the patrol car makes more decisions and exercises broader discretion affecting the daily lives of people every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-e-burger/the-policeman-on-the-beat-or-in-the-patrol-car-makes-more-decisions/) [Warren E. Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-e-burger/) > [Aishwarya, my parent's daughter, has been brought up with enough values inculcated where I will use my discretion in my choices. At the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/aishwarya-my-parent-s-daughter-has-been-brought-up-with-enough-values/) [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/) > [The fleet sailed to its war base in the North Sea, headed not so much for some rendezvous with glory as for rendezvous with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-fleet-sailed-to-its-war-base-in-the-north-sea-headed-not-so-much/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [“All sexual activity performed is at the discretion of the participants and is confined to only one hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-a-miles/all-sexual-activity-performed-is-at-the-discretion-of-the/) [Karen A.Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-a-miles/) > [The first principle of solid wisdom is discretion, without it all the erudition of life is merely bagatelle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/the-first-principle-of-solid-wisdom-is-discretion-without-it-all-the/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [ Forgiveness is the best part of valor...Discretion is easy. It's finding the courage to forgive yourself and others that is hard. \[Acheron\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/forgiveness-is-the-best-part-of-valor-discretion-is-easy-it-s-finding/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Instead of a perpetual and perfect measure of the divine will, the fragments of the Koran were produced at the discretion of Mahomet; each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/instead-of-a-perpetual-and-perfect-measure-of-the-divine-will-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [“Commonality & Camaraderie. By identifying, developing, and connecting powerful points of reference to others, you will have a rich resource of information from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/commonality-camaraderie-by-identifying-developing-and-connecting/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [We lay aside letters never to read them again, and at last we destroy them out discretion, and so disappears the most immediate breath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-lay-aside-letters-never-to-read-them-again-and-at-last-we-destroy/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Drunkenness is the very sepulcher Of man's wit and his discretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/drunkenness-is-the-very-sepulcher-of-man-s-wit-and-his-discretion/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/great-is-our-admiration-of-the-orator-who-speaks-with-fluency-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Be not too tame neither, but let your own Discretion be your tutor; suit the action to the word, the word to the action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-not-too-tame-neither-but-let-your-own-discretion-be-your-tutor/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O sir, you are old; nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine; you should be ruled and led by some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-sir-you-are-old-nature-in-you-stands-on-the-very-verge-of-her/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I have tales to tell, but I don't tell them. Discretion. Discretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-peck/i-have-tales-to-tell-but-i-don-t-tell-them-discretion-discretion/) [Gregory Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-peck/) > [When you learn to discipline your tongue, you'll stop scrutinizing, judging and condemning others. You'll then focus on your own weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mufti-ismail-menk/when-you-learn-to-discipline-your-tongue-you-ll-stop-scrutinizing/) [Mufti Ismail Menk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mufti-ismail-menk/) [Browse all 364 Discretion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discretion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Are we to go out with trumpets and tell everything we know, just because it is true? 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