--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There comes a time in every scoundrel’s…" description: "\"“There comes a time in every scoundrel’s life when he catches a glimpse of what he might have been. Only if he catches it in the reflection of the righ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/diana-holquist-38860_hope_there-comes-a-time-in-every-scoundrel-s_1798847.jpg" --- # There comes a time in every scoundrel’s life when he… ![“There comes a time in every scoundrel’s life when he catches a glimpse of what he might have been. Only if he catches it in the reflection of the right woman’s eye, is there hope for reform. —From The Dulcet Duke” quote by Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/diana-holquist-38860_hope_there-comes-a-time-in-every-scoundrel-s_1798847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/diana-holquist-38860_hope_there-comes-a-time-in-every-scoundrel-s_1798847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/diana-holquist-38860_hope_there-comes-a-time-in-every-scoundrel-s_1798847.jpg) > ““There comes a time in every scoundrel’s life when he catches a glimpse of what he might have been. Only if he catches it in the reflection of the right woman’s eye, is there hope for reform. —From The Dulcet Duke”” [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A scoundrel may glimpse his lost potential, but only when seen through a worthy partner's eyes can he change. **In simple terms:** Seeing lost potential through a good partner can inspire change. Key Takeaway Seek honest reflection from trusted others. Themes redemption self‑awareness relationships Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - romantic partnership - self‑improvement Key Concepts potential reflection reform Questions to Reflect On - Who can you trust to reflect your true self? - Can change happen without another's insight? A Different Perspective Change depends on external validation, not internal resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Whatever is wrong in the world, there is still this; there is still us. 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The simple man, standing before her, looking into her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/not-the-title-not-the-riches-not-the-bravery-not-the-glory-just-the/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [One who not merely beholds the outward shows of things, but catches a glimpse of the soul that looks out of them, whose garment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/one-who-not-merely-beholds-the-outward-shows-of-things-but-catches-a-2/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“One who not merely beholds the outward shows of things, but catches a glimpse of the soul that looks out of them ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/one-who-not-merely-beholds-the-outward-shows-of-things-but-catches-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Public office is the last refuge of the scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boies-penrose/public-office-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-scoundrel/) Boies Penrose > [40 million Russians are convinced that I am a scoundrel, a thief, a criminal or a CIA agent, who deserves to be shot, hanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/40-million-russians-are-convinced-that-i-am-a-scoundrel-a-thief-a/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [Whitney: You black-hearted, treacherous, conniving scoundrel. Clayton: Your flattery warms my heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/whitney-you-black-hearted-treacherous-conniving-scoundrel-clayton/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“Politics is the last refuge of a scoundrel'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-f-r-jacob/politics-is-the-last-refuge-of-a-scoundrel/) J.F.R. Jacob > [He who speaks ill of an absent friend, or fails to take his part if attacked by another, that man is a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-speaks-ill-of-an-absent-friend-or-fails-to-take-his-part-if/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [I've looked that old scoundrel death in the eye many times but this time I think he has me on the ropes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-ve-looked-that-old-scoundrel-death-in-the-eye-many-times-but-this/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [“Good lack-a-daisy, Clara!" her aunt reproached her. "The man might dress improperly, but he's behaving like a perfect gentleman otherwise. And being wonderfully kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/good-lack-a-daisy-clara-her-aunt-reproached-her-the-man-might-dress/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Only by himself, with one acre and a house, will a dunce be a dunce. Once he manages to gain power, he'll turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/only-by-himself-with-one-acre-and-a-house-will-a-dunce-be-a-dunce/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Is this where you tell me that I'm a scoundrel, and I say that I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/is-this-where-you-tell-me-that-i-m-a-scoundrel-and-i-say-that-i-think/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More by Diana Holquist > [“Not the title. Not the riches. Not the bravery. Not the glory. Just the man. The simple man, standing before her, looking into her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/not-the-title-not-the-riches-not-the-bravery-not-the-glory-just-the/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“A woman like Ally would have to be fought for, broken down, uncovered layer by reluctant layer. And he had the feeling that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/a-woman-like-ally-would-have-to-be-fought-for-broken-down-uncovered/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“Jasmine believes in a prophecy that says she is destined to love a man named Josh Toby. Okay, fine. He could believe that. Hell,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/jasmine-believes-in-a-prophecy-that-says-she-is-destined-to-love-a/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“Whatever he had found, it made him a better person. Maybe that's what love was, finding the person who brings out the best in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/whatever-he-had-found-it-made-him-a-better-person-maybe-that-s-what/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“He lifted the book from the purse. The cover sported a painting of a stunning redhead in a long, pink gown who stared out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/he-lifted-the-book-from-the-purse-the-cover-sported-a-painting-of-a/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“He had her alone in the garden. Her moist lips. The moonlight in her eyes. A lesser man would be merely tempted. A greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/he-had-her-alone-in-the-garden-her-moist-lips-the-moonlight-in-her/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“He unwrapped the butter and dropped the entire stick into the sauté pan, an act that shocked her with its recklessness. It wasn’t like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/he-unwrapped-the-butter-and-dropped-the-entire-stick-into-the-saut/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“She had built a safe world where love didn't matter—and now she had nothing but stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/she-had-built-a-safe-world-where-love-didn-t-matter-and-now-she-had/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“It was surprisingly sexy, a man in an apron. Like a man in a kilt, only with promise of dinner afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/it-was-surprisingly-sexy-a-man-in-an-apron-like-a-man-in-a-kilt-only/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) > [“Whatever is wrong in the world, there is still this; there is still us. We can attack each other until we’ve reached the core,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-holquist/whatever-is-wrong-in-the-world-there-is-still-this-there-is-still-us/) [Diana Holquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) [Explore all 11 Diana Holquist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-holquist/) ## More Hope quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) Simone Abou Samra > [Im really happy that I met you I hope you know that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/im-really-happy-that-i-met-you-i-hope-you-know-that/) Im Nothing > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 24,868 Hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There comes a time in every scoundrel’s life when he catches a glimpse of what he might have been. 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