Apes Quote by Emily Bronte
“But there's this one difference: one is gold put to the use of paving-stones, and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver. Mine has nothing valuable about it; yet I shall have the merit of making it go as far as such poor stuff can go. His had first-rate qualities, and they are lost, rendered worst than unavailing.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Dark Lanes, 1847
True value lies not in outward appearance but in effort; even humble work can achieve merit when pursued earnestly.
In simple terms: Worth comes from effort, not appearance.
Key Takeaway
Value effort over appearance.
Themes
effort
humility
self‑worth
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- workplace
- artistic creation
- personal development
Key Concepts
intrinsic merit
comparative value
personal growth
Questions to Reflect On
- What humble tasks have you excelled at?
- How do you measure true worth?
A Different Perspective
Superficial judgments can overlook genuine merit.
![“Silver is less valuable than gold, gold than virtue. [Lat., Vilius argentum est auro virtutibus aurum.]” quote by Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/15a/horace-172_gold_silver-is-less-valuable-than-gold-gold-t_2985653.jpg)
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
