---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: with an ordinary face, he would have been…"
description: "\"“with an ordinary face, he would have been one of the most distinguished of mankind! He had a heart that could have held the empire of the world; and, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/gaston-leroux-7986_cellar_with-an-ordinary-face-he-would-have-been_388463.jpg"
---

#  with an ordinary face, he would have been one of the most…

![“with an ordinary face, he would have been one of the most distinguished of mankind! He had a heart that could have held the empire of the world; and, in the end, he had to content himself with a cellar.” quote by Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/gaston-leroux-7986_cellar_with-an-ordinary-face-he-would-have-been_388463.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/gaston-leroux-7986_cellar_with-an-ordinary-face-he-would-have-been_388463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/gaston-leroux-7986_cellar_with-an-ordinary-face-he-would-have-been_388463.jpg)

> ““with an ordinary face, he would have been one of the most distinguished of mankind! He had a heart that could have held the empire of the world; and, in the end, he had to content himself with a cellar.””

[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A distinguished person with a humble appearance holds great inner power but ends up in a lowly state.

**In simple terms:** Great inner power may be hidden and unfulfilled.

Key Takeaway

Recognize inner worth despite outward modesty.

Themes

identity humility potential

Mood

melancholy reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- career stagnation
- social inequality
- personal growth

Key Concepts

inner strength social status unrealized talent

Questions to Reflect On

- How can hidden talent be recognized?
- What prevents inner power from manifesting?

A Different Perspective

Society may not reward hidden talent.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

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> [“There was a sensible part of me somewhere that clutched its pearls and hissed that I better not give up my V-card in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/there-was-a-sensible-part-of-me-somewhere-that-clutched-its-pearls/)

[Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/)

> [The very best of vineyards is the cellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/the-very-best-of-vineyards-is-the-cellar/)

[Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/)

> [When I am in the cellar of affliction, I look for the Lord's choicest wines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/when-i-am-in-the-cellar-of-affliction-i-look-for-the-lord-s-choicest/)

[Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/)

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[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [They can do without architecture who have no olives nor wines in the cellar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/they-can-do-without-architecture-who-have-no-olives-nor-wines-in-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“The group sat in silence, absorbing the information. The whole room felt cramped. It was as though there were something else in the cellar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/the-group-sat-in-silence-absorbing-the-information-the-whole-room/)

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> [Our cellar home had a kitchen and a combination bedroom and half bath, which meant we had a sink next to the bed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/our-cellar-home-had-a-kitchen-and-a-combination-bedroom-and-half-bath/)

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[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

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## More by Gaston Leroux

> [“Possibly, I too shall take the train at that station one day, and go and seek around thy lakes, O Norway, O silent Scandinavia...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/possibly-i-too-shall-take-the-train-at-that-station-one-day-and-go/)

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> [Erik, Erik! I saved your life! Remember? You were scentenced to death! But for me you would be dead by now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/erik-erik-i-saved-your-life-remember-you-were-scentenced-to-death-but/)

[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

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[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

> [“A ghost who bleeds is less dangerous!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/a-ghost-who-bleeds-is-less-dangerous/)

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> [She's singing to-night to bring the chandelier down!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/she-s-singing-to-night-to-bring-the-chandelier-down/)

[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

> [Now I want to live like everybody else. I want to have a wife like everybody else and to take her out on Sundays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/now-i-want-to-live-like-everybody-else-i-want-to-have-a-wife-like/)

[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

> [“There is a terrible mystery around us...a mystery much more to be feared than any number of ghosts or genii!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/there-is-a-terrible-mystery-around-us-a-mystery-much-more-to-be/)

[Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

> [He stared dully at the desolate, cold road and the pale, dead night. Nothing was colder or more dead than his heart. He had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/he-stared-dully-at-the-desolate-cold-road-and-the-pale-dead-night/)

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[Explore all 78 Gaston Leroux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/)

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> [When I was a child, we always had wine on the table, no matter how simple the meal. The wine had no special identity;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-i-was-a-child-we-always-had-wine-on-the-table-no-matter-how/)

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[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

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[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

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[Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/)

> [The very best of vineyards is the cellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/the-very-best-of-vineyards-is-the-cellar/)

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> [I told my wife a man is like wine, he gets better with age. She locked me in the cellar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-told-my-wife-a-man-is-like-wine-he-gets-better-with-age-she-locked/)

[Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/)

> [“Whenever I find myself in the cellar of affliction, I always look about for the wine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/whenever-i-find-myself-in-the-cellar-of-affliction-i-always-look/)

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[Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/)

> [A man dies too young if he leaves any wine in his cellar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-simon/a-man-dies-too-young-if-he-leaves-any-wine-in-his-cellar/)

[Andre Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-simon/)

Browse all 46 Cellar quotes

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