--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If he could only see how small a vacancy…" description: "\"If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place he occupies in his lifetime.\" — Ernest Legouve" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg" --- # If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would… ![“If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place he occupies in his lifetime.” quote by Ernest Legouve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg) > “If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place he occupies in his lifetime.” Ernest Legouve ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A proud person underestimates their impact, seeing their role as insignificant after death. **In simple terms:** Pride blinds us to our lasting influence. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of your contributions. Themes pride humility legacy existence Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - mentoring - public speaking Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you wish to leave? - How does pride shape your actions? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on humility can diminish confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Proud man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud-man/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A proud man is one who waits for a vacancy in the Trinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-proud-man-is-one-who-waits-for-a-vacancy-in-the-trinity/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Man, proud man, Drest in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he's most assured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/man-proud-man-drest-in-a-little-brief-authority-most-ignorant-of-what/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I learned that it is better, a thousandfold , for a proud man to fall and be humbled, than to hold up his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-learned-that-it-is-better-a-thousandfold-for-a-proud-man-to-fall/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [There is but a step between a proud man's glory and his disgrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/there-is-but-a-step-between-a-proud-man-s-glory-and-his-disgrace/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The proud man is forsaken of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-proud-man-is-forsaken-of-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Things change when you learn to loosen your grip. I think one way and the future is desperate. I think another way everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-finn/things-change-when-you-learn-to-loosen-your-grip-i-think-one-way-and/) [Tim Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-finn/) > [I'm a proud man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-zola/i-m-a-proud-man/) [Gianfranco Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-zola/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“The prideful man qualifies himself by what people think of him, always looking for applause. There is another proud man; head bloodied by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goff/the-prideful-man-qualifies-himself-by-what-people-think-of-him-always/) [Lee Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goff/) > [A man can be saved and not believe in the Doctrines of Grace...but he must be a very proud man. Unknown-but if you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-graham/a-man-can-be-saved-and-not-believe-in-the-doctrines-of-grace-but-he/) [Will Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-graham/) > [A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-proud-man-is-always-looking-down-on-things-and-people-and-of-course/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For he was a sincere man, and in spite of his superficial airs and graces, at root a humble one. And it is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesterton-gilbert-chesterton/for-he-was-a-sincere-man-and-in-spite-of-his-superficial-airs-and/) Chesterton Gilbert Chesterton > [Love is a very contradiction of all the elements of our ordinary nature -- it makes the proud man meek -- the cheerful, sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/love-is-a-very-contradiction-of-all-the-elements-of-our-ordinary/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-insolent-civility-of-a-proud-man-is-if-possible-more-shocking/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [The biggest thing I'm proud of is becoming a man. Living my dreams? Yeah, that's cool, but me handling my business, you feel me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-homie-quan/the-biggest-thing-i-m-proud-of-is-becoming-a-man-living-my-dreams/) [Rich Homie Quan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-homie-quan/) ## More by Ernest Legouve > [Women have the genius of charity. A man gives but his gold; a woman adds to it her sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/women-have-the-genius-of-charity-a-man-gives-but-his-gold-a-woman/) Ernest Legouve > [God has laid upon us many severe trials in this world, but He has created labour for us, and all is compensated. Thanks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/god-has-laid-upon-us-many-severe-trials-in-this-world-but-he-has/) Ernest Legouve Explore all 3 Ernest Legouve quotes ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. 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You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. 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You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place he occupies in his lifetime.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Legouve" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy-his-death-would-leave-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy-his-death-would-leave-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/ernest-legouve-78310_death_if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy_2759410.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place…” — Ernest Legouve", "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": "Ernest Legouve", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-legouve/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If he could only see how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy-his-death-would-leave-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-legouve/if-he-could-only-see-how-small-a-vacancy-his-death-would-leave-the/#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 } } ] } ```