--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Read not books alone, but men, and…" description: "\"Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. If thou find anything questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend, rathe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/francis-quarles-1740_book_read-not-books-alone-but-men-and-amongst_1901853.png" --- # Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly… ![“Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. If thou find anything questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend, rather than the gloss of a sweet-lipped flatterer there is more profit in a distasteful truth than in deceitful sweetness.” quote by Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/francis-quarles-1740_book_read-not-books-alone-but-men-and-amongst_1901853.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/francis-quarles-1740_book_read-not-books-alone-but-men-and-amongst_1901853.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/francis-quarles-1740_book_read-not-books-alone-but-men-and-amongst_1901853.png) > “Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. If thou find anything questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend, rather than the gloss of a sweet-lipped flatterer there is more profit in a distasteful truth than in deceitful sweetness.” [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. The author advises learning from people, especially oneself, and consulting trusted friends over flattering but shallow advice, valuing harsh truth over sweet deceit. **In simple terms:** Seek honest critique over flattering words. Key Takeaway Prioritize truthful feedback for growth. Themes learning truth criticism self‑reflection Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - personal development - academic study - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy ethical guidance mentor dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who can you trust for sincere feedback? - How do you balance truth with kindness? A Different Perspective Harsh truth can be discouraging and may damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-men-280050/) [Chiefly Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefly-thyself-2406689/) [Commentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commentary/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Deceitful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceitful/) [Distasteful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distasteful/) [Flatterer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flatterer/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Gloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gloss/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Chiefly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-chiefly-2406688/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Questionable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questionable/) [Read Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-books-250428/) [Severe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/severe/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Sweetness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweetness/) [Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thyself/) [Truth Deceitful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-deceitful-2811345/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“Grace without truth would be deceitful, and truth without grace would be condemning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/grace-without-truth-would-be-deceitful-and-truth-without-grace-would/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [Books are not men and yet they stay alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/books-are-not-men-and-yet-they-stay-alive/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books what other men do not say in whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-my-ambition-to-say-in-ten-sentences-what-other-men-say-in-whole/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“But in a private library, you can at any moment converse with Socrates or Shakespeare or Carlyle or Dumas or Dickens or Shaw or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps-1933/but-in-a-private-library-you-can-at-any-moment-converse-with-socrates/) [William Lyon Phelps - 1933](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps-1933/) > [“The best books... The best books of men are soon exhausted-- they are cisterns, and not springing fountains. You enjoy them very much at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/the-best-books-the-best-books-of-men-are-soon-exhausted-they-are/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [Fishing books , lit by emotion recollected in tranquility, are like poetry. .. . We do not think of them as books but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ransome/fishing-books-lit-by-emotion-recollected-in-tranquility-are-like/) [Arthur Ransome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ransome/) > [“Perhaps I shall. Yes, yes, if you please, no reference to examples in books. Men have had every advantage of us in telling their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/perhaps-i-shall-yes-yes-if-you-please-no-reference-to-examples-in/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [I do not think I ever opened a book in my life which had not something to say upon woman's inconstancy. Songs and proverbs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-do-not-think-i-ever-opened-a-book-in-my-life-which-had-not/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Books are not men and yet they are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/books-are-not-men-and-yet-they-are-alive/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [Books are men of higher stature, and the only men that speak aloud for future times to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/books-are-men-of-higher-stature-and-the-only-men-that-speak-aloud-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The modernness of all good books seems to give men an existence as wide as man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-modernness-of-all-good-books-seems-to-give-men-an-existence-as/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part-2/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Keep away from books and from men who get their ideas from books, and your own books will always be fresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/keep-away-from-books-and-from-men-who-get-their-ideas-from-books-and/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## 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 Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. 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