--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Three be the things I shall never attain…" description: "\"Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.\" — Dorothy Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg" --- # Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content… ![“Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg) > “Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.” [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker vows to avoid three negative states: envy, complacency, and overindulgence. **In simple terms:** Avoid envy, complacency, and excess. Key Takeaway Reject these three vices. Themes self‑control moderation humor Mood wry reflective Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - career ambitions - social gatherings - financial planning Key Concepts personal philosophy satire Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you from envy? - How do you define “sufficient” in your life? A Different Perspective Excess can be hard to recognize and may be socially reinforced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Champagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champagne/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Out in Hollywood, where the streets are paved with Goldwyn, the word "sophisticate" means, very simply, "obscene." A sophisticatedstory is a dirty story. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/out-in-hollywood-where-the-streets-are-paved-with-goldwyn-the-word/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Four be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things I'd been better without:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/four-be-the-things-i-am-wiser-to-know-idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Champagne is simply one of the elegant extras of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/champagne-is-simply-one-of-the-elegant-extras-of-life/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Why do I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn't everyone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/why-do-i-drink-champagne-for-breakfast-doesn-t-everyone/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [It's about how whenever I fall in love, I have these expectations of the experience being a perfect dream, which, of course, ruins it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/it-s-about-how-whenever-i-fall-in-love-i-have-these-expectations-of/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [As far as vintage Champagne goes, I loved 1990; it's a great, great vintage. I bought a lot of 1990 Blanc de Blancs Champagne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-parker-jr/as-far-as-vintage-champagne-goes-i-loved-1990-it-s-a-great-great/) [Robert M. Parker, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-parker-jr/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [If you don't take risks, you don't drink champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/if-you-don-t-take-risks-you-don-t-drink-champagne/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [I think Illium can take care of himself.” “Not if he keeps flirting with you.” A fine, almost elegant tendril of heat, champagne and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/i-think-illium-can-take-care-of-himself-not-if-he-keeps-flirting-with/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [To meet Roosevelt with all his buoyant sparkle, his iridescence, was like opening a bottle of champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/to-meet-roosevelt-with-all-his-buoyant-sparkle-his-iridescence-was/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Was there a better sound in the world than a champagne cork popping? Hell, no.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarra-manning/was-there-a-better-sound-in-the-world-than-a-champagne-cork-popping/) [Sarra Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarra-manning/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Champagne?" Carl asked. "You know we don't drink champagne, Carl." Ricky laughed. "Yes, but I don't think it's polite in mixed company to gulp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-folsom/champagne-carl-asked-you-know-we-don-t-drink-champagne-carl-ricky/) [Tina Folsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-folsom/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by Dorothy Parker > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-ass-to-the-seat/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Hollywood is the one place on earth where you could die of encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/hollywood-is-the-one-place-on-earth-where-you-could-die-of/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-two-most-beautiful-words-in-the-english-language-are-check/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Sometimes I think Ill give up trying, and just go completely Russian and sit on a stove and moan all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/sometimes-i-think-ill-give-up-trying-and-just-go-completely-russian/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [I was always sweet, at first. Oh, it's so easy to be sweet to people before you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-was-always-sweet-at-first-oh-it-s-so-easy-to-be-sweet-to-people/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Now to me, Edith looks like something that would eat her young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/now-to-me-edith-looks-like-something-that-would-eat-her-young/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Misfortune, and recited misfortune especially, can be prolonged to the point where it ceases to excite pity and arouses only irritation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/misfortune-and-recited-misfortune-especially-can-be-prolonged-to-the/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The sun's gone dim, and the moon's gone black. For I loved him, and he didn't love back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-sun-s-gone-dim-and-the-moon-s-gone-black-for-i-loved-him-and-he/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Enjoyed it! One more drink and I'd have been under the host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/enjoyed-it-one-more-drink-and-i-d-have-been-under-the-host/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Flowers are heaven's masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/flowers-are-heaven-s-masterpiece/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Explore all 398 Dorothy Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More Champagne quotes > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Champagne?" Carl asked. "You know we don't drink champagne, Carl." Ricky laughed. "Yes, but I don't think it's polite in mixed company to gulp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-folsom/champagne-carl-asked-you-know-we-don-t-drink-champagne-carl-ricky/) [Tina Folsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-folsom/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller > [I think Illium can take care of himself.” “Not if he keeps flirting with you.” A fine, almost elegant tendril of heat, champagne and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/i-think-illium-can-take-care-of-himself-not-if-he-keeps-flirting-with/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [If you don't take risks, you don't drink champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/if-you-don-t-take-risks-you-don-t-drink-champagne/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [As far as vintage Champagne goes, I loved 1990; it's a great, great vintage. I bought a lot of 1990 Blanc de Blancs Champagne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-parker-jr/as-far-as-vintage-champagne-goes-i-loved-1990-it-s-a-great-great/) [Robert M. Parker, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-parker-jr/) > [To meet Roosevelt with all his buoyant sparkle, his iridescence, was like opening a bottle of champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/to-meet-roosevelt-with-all-his-buoyant-sparkle-his-iridescence-was/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Was there a better sound in the world than a champagne cork popping? Hell, no.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarra-manning/was-there-a-better-sound-in-the-world-than-a-champagne-cork-popping/) [Sarra Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarra-manning/) > [I love surprises - champagne and strawberries, all that pampering, romantic stuff. Guys ought to know how to pamper their women properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-mckellar/i-love-surprises-champagne-and-strawberries-all-that-pampering/) [Danica McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-mckellar/) > [“Morse poured himself a can of beer. "Champagne's a lovely drink, but it makes you thirsty, doesn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/morse-poured-himself-a-can-of-beer-champagne-s-a-lovely-drink-but-it/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [I'm only a beer teetotaller, not a champagne teetotaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-m-only-a-beer-teetotaller-not-a-champagne-teetotaller/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“I drink Champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-bollinger-house-of-bollinger-champagne/i-drink-champagne-when-i-m-happy-and-when-i-m-sad-sometimes-i-drink/) Lily Bollinger House of Bollinger Champagne > [Champagne, I got lot of it, if it's new then I'm rocking it. Climbing all my money, standing on top of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/champagne-i-got-lot-of-it-if-it-s-new-then-i-m-rocking-it-climbing/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [There are three intolerable things in life - cold coffee, lukewarm champagne, and overexcited women...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/there-are-three-intolerable-things-in-life-cold-coffee-lukewarm/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) [Browse all 425 Champagne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champagne/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain-envy-content-and-sufficient/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Champagne" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain-envy-content-and-sufficient/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/dorothy-parker-700_champagne_three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain_761028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.” — Dorothy Parker", "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": "Dorothy Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Three be the things I shall...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain-envy-content-and-sufficient/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/three-be-the-things-i-shall-never-attain-envy-content-and-sufficient/#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 } } ] } ```