--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If thou seest anything in thyself which…" description: "\"If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find enough to humble thee; if thou be wise, view the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png" --- # If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee… ![“If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find enough to humble thee; if thou be wise, view the peacock's feathers with his feet, and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections.” quote by Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png) > “If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find enough to humble thee; if thou be wise, view the peacock's feathers with his feet, and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections.” [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognize personal strengths but keep them in perspective by comparing them to one imperfections, avoiding arrogance. **In simple terms:** Balance pride with humility by seeing flaws alongside strengths. Key Takeaway Check pride by recalling your own flaws. Themes humility self‑awareness pride balance Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - conflict resolution - teaching - mentorship Key Concepts self‑evaluation comparative humility personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success without inflating ego? - What habits keep you grounded? A Different Perspective May underestimate the value of genuine confidence when overly focused on flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feathers/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humble Thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble-thee-877032/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacock/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Self examination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-examination/) [Thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee/) [Thou Seest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-seest-253912/) [Thou Shalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-shalt/) [Thou Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-wise-231544/) [Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thyself/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Weigh Thy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weigh-thy-877033/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“Lord, make me childlike. Deliver me from the urge to compete with another for place or prestige or position. I would be simple and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/lord-make-me-childlike-deliver-me-from-the-urge-to-compete-with/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [Lord, enable us to search our hearts and humble ourselves before Thee. 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'A fool tangled in a religious snare.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/come-hither-my-boy-tell-me-what-thou-seest-there-a-fool-tangled-in-a/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Do nothing through human respect and, when it assails you, say: I shall do neither more nor less for the eyes of creatures. O…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mary-alacoque/do-nothing-through-human-respect-and-when-it-assails-you-say-i-shall/) [Margaret Mary Alacoque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mary-alacoque/) > [The fringed curtains of thine eye advance, And say what thou seest yond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fringed-curtains-of-thine-eye-advance-and-say-what-thou-seest-yond/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Since all things are God, in all things thou seest just so much of God as thy capacity affordeth thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/since-all-things-are-god-in-all-things-thou-seest-just-so-much-of-god/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [“Man doth usurp all space, Stares thee, in rock, bush, river, in the face. Never thine eyes behold a tree; 'Tis no sea thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-sutton/man-doth-usurp-all-space-stares-thee-in-rock-bush-river-in-the-face/) [Henry Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-sutton/) > [When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/when-thou-seest-an-eagle-thou-seest-a-portion-of-genius-lift-up-thy/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) ## More by Francis Quarles > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Luxury is an enticing pleasure, a bastard mirth, which hath honey in her mouth, gall in her heart, and a sting in her tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/luxury-is-an-enticing-pleasure-a-bastard-mirth-which-hath-honey-in/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend, and when thy impartial justice concludes him worthy of thy bosom, receive him joyfully, and entertain him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/deliberate-long-before-thou-consecrate-a-friend-and-when-thy/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [What treasures here do Mammon's sons behold! Yet know that all that which glitters is not gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/what-treasures-here-do-mammon-s-sons-behold-yet-know-that-all-that/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation; and honor the reward of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/meditation-is-the-life-of-the-soul-action-the-soul-of-meditation-and/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The world is deceitful; her end is doubtful, her conclusion is horrible, her judge terrible, and her judgment is intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-is-deceitful-her-end-is-doubtful-her-conclusion-is-horrible/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/i-wish-thee-as-much-pleasure-in-the-reading-as-i-had-in-the-writing/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The suburbs of folly is vain mirth, and profuseness of laughter is the city of fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-suburbs-of-folly-is-vain-mirth-and-profuseness-of-laughter-is-the/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The fountain of beauty is the heart and every generous thought illustrates the walls of your chamber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-fountain-of-beauty-is-the-heart-and-every-generous-thought/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The strong desires of man's insatiate breast may stand possess'd Of all that earth can give; but earth can give no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-strong-desires-of-man-s-insatiate-breast-may-stand-possess-d-of/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Knowledge descries; wisdom applies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/knowledge-descries-wisdom-applies/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [In all thy actions think God sees thee; and in all His actions labor to see Him; that will make thee fear Him; this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/in-all-thy-actions-think-god-sees-thee-and-in-all-his-actions-labor/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Rather do what is nothing to the purpose than be idle; that the devil may find thee doing. The bird that sits is easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/rather-do-what-is-nothing-to-the-purpose-than-be-idle-that-the-devil/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/read-not-books-alone-but-men-and-amongst-them-chiefly-thyself/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Explore all 212 Francis Quarles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) ## More Being wise quotes > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [To be wise was to be above joy and sorrow, fear and pity, ambition and humiliation. It was to hate nothing and to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/to-be-wise-was-to-be-above-joy-and-sorrow-fear-and-pity-ambition-and/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from letters, to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/deign-on-the-passing-world-to-turn-thine-eyes-and-pause-awhile-from/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I feel I want to be wise with white hair in a tall library in a deep chair by a fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/i-feel-i-want-to-be-wise-with-white-hair-in-a-tall-library-in-a-deep/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) > [If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/if-we-are-going-to-be-wise-spiritual-people-prepared-to-meet-the/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [Literature provides us with experiences it would not be wise or possible to introduce into our own world and thus enlarges our understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rosenblatt/literature-provides-us-with-experiences-it-would-not-be-wise-or/) [Louise Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rosenblatt/) > [Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/learned-we-may-be-with-another-man-s-learning-we-can-only-be-wise/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [None of the modes by which a magistrate is appointed, popular election, the accident of the lot, or the accident of birth, affords, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/none-of-the-modes-by-which-a-magistrate-is-appointed-popular-election/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The goal of a passionate artist is to try and make a masterpiece each and every time, yet be wise enough to know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donato-giancola/the-goal-of-a-passionate-artist-is-to-try-and-make-a-masterpiece-each/) [Donato Giancola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donato-giancola/) > [License they mean when they cry Liberty; For who loves that, must first be wise and good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/license-they-mean-when-they-cry-liberty-for-who-loves-that-must-first/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [It almost seems as though this roiling world is conspiring to test our patience at every turn. In fact, it is. With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Browse all 310 Being wise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find enough to humble thee; if thou be wise, view the peacock's feathers with his feet, and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Quarles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which-may-make-thee-proud-look-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being wise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which-may-make-thee-proud-look-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which_2482357.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find…” — Francis Quarles", "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": "Francis Quarles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If thou seest anything in thyself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which-may-make-thee-proud-look-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/if-thou-seest-anything-in-thyself-which-may-make-thee-proud-look-a/#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 } } ] } ```