--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is undoubtedly true that some people…" description: "\"It is undoubtedly true that some people mistake sycophancy for good nature, but it is equally true that many more mistake impertinence for sincerity.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/george-d-prentice-19839_failure_it-is-undoubtedly-true-that-some-people_3177104.jpg" --- # It is undoubtedly true that some people mistake sycophancy… ![“It is undoubtedly true that some people mistake sycophancy for good nature, but it is equally true that many more mistake impertinence for sincerity.” quote by George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/george-d-prentice-19839_failure_it-is-undoubtedly-true-that-some-people_3177104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/george-d-prentice-19839_failure_it-is-undoubtedly-true-that-some-people_3177104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/george-d-prentice-19839_failure_it-is-undoubtedly-true-that-some-people_3177104.jpg) > “It is undoubtedly true that some people mistake sycophancy for good nature, but it is equally true that many more mistake impertinence for sincerity.” [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often confuse flattery with kindness and boldness with honesty, leading to misjudgments. **In simple terms:** Flattery vs honesty, boldness vs honesty. Key Takeaway Question motives before judging. Themes social perception misjudgment honesty Mood cautious analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - workplace - personal relationships - political discourse Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine kindness from flattery? - When is boldness a mask for insincerity? A Different Perspective Not all boldness is sincere; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Good nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-nature/) [Impertinence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impertinence/) [Impertinence Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impertinence-sincerity-5806621/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Sycophancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-sycophancy-5806620/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Sycophancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sycophancy-4666963/) [Sycophancy Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sycophancy-good-5806622/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [Sycophancy toward those who hold power is a fact in every regime, and especially in a democracy, where, unlike tyranny, there is an accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/sycophancy-toward-those-who-hold-power-is-a-fact-in-every-regime-and/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [We South Asians have sycophancy in our genes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-broacha/we-south-asians-have-sycophancy-in-our-genes/) [Cyrus Broacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-broacha/) > [The greater part of what women write about women is mere sycophancy to man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-greater-part-of-what-women-write-about-women-is-mere-sycophancy/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [For a fallen India to aspire to move the world and protect the weaker races is seemingly an impertinence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-a-fallen-india-to-aspire-to-move-the-world-and-protect-the-weaker/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The hands of those I meet are dumbly eloquent to me. The touch of some hands is an impertinence. I have met people so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-hands-of-those-i-meet-are-dumbly-eloquent-to-me-the-touch-of-some/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [The right to private judgment is the crown jewel of humanity, and for any person or institution to dare to come between the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-truett/the-right-to-private-judgment-is-the-crown-jewel-of-humanity-and-for/) [George W Truett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-truett/) > [Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?" "For the liveliness of your mind, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/now-be-sincere-did-you-admire-me-for-my-impertinence-for-the/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [The true sweetness of chess, if it ever can be sweet, is to see a victory snatched, by some happy impertinence, out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-true-sweetness-of-chess-if-it-ever-can-be-sweet-is-to-see-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [The fly ought to be used as the symbol of impertinence and audacity; for whilst all other animals shun man more than anything else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-fly-ought-to-be-used-as-the-symbol-of-impertinence-and-audacity/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I conceive disgust at these impertinent and misbecoming familiarities inscribed upon your ordinary tombstone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-conceive-disgust-at-these-impertinent-and-misbecoming-familiarities/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Impertinence will intermeddle in things in which it has no concern, showing a want of breeding, or, more commonly, a spirit of sheer impudence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-crabbe/impertinence-will-intermeddle-in-things-in-which-it-has-no-concern/) [George Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-crabbe/) > [“Shield me, kind heaven, what an inundation of impertinence is here coming upon us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/shield-me-kind-heaven-what-an-inundation-of-impertinence-is-here/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Men are subject to various inconveniences merely through lack of a small share of courage, which is a quality very necessary in the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/men-are-subject-to-various-inconveniences-merely-through-lack-of-a/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Some persons take reproof good-humoredly enough, unless you are so unlucky as to hit a sore place. Then they wince and writhe, and start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/some-persons-take-reproof-good-humoredly-enough-unless-you-are-so/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) ## More by George D. Prentice > [Courage, like cowardice, is undoubtedly contagious, but some persons are not liable to catch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/courage-like-cowardice-is-undoubtedly-contagious-but-some-persons-are/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [One of the very best of all earthly possessions is self-possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/one-of-the-very-best-of-all-earthly-possessions-is-self-possession/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [It seems no more than right that men should seize time by the forelock, for the rude old fellow, sooner or later, pulls all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/it-seems-no-more-than-right-that-men-should-seize-time-by-the/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Prejudice is the twin of illiberality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/prejudice-is-the-twin-of-illiberality/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Some men give as little light in the world as a farthing tallow candle, and when they expire, leave as bad an odor behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/some-men-give-as-little-light-in-the-world-as-a-farthing-tallow/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Gone! gone forever!-like a rushing wave Another year has burst upon the shore Of earthly being-and its last low tones, Wandering in broken accents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/gone-gone-forever-like-a-rushing-wave-another-year-has-burst-upon-the/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Some people have a peculiar faculty for denying facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/some-people-have-a-peculiar-faculty-for-denying-facts/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [A dentist at work in his vocation always looks down in the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/a-dentist-at-work-in-his-vocation-always-looks-down-in-the-mouth/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [A good many men and women want to get possession of secrets just as spendthrifts want to get money-for circulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/a-good-many-men-and-women-want-to-get-possession-of-secrets-just-as/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Time knows not the weight of sleep or weariness, and night's deep darkness has no chain to bind his rushing pinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/time-knows-not-the-weight-of-sleep-or-weariness-and-night-s-deep/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [What some name well being, if bought by perpetual nervousness about weight loss plan, is not a lot better than tedious illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/what-some-name-well-being-if-bought-by-perpetual-nervousness-about/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Many a writer seems to think he is never profound except when he can't understand his own meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/many-a-writer-seems-to-think-he-is-never-profound-except-when-he-can/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [When a man has been intemperate so long that shame no longer paints a blush upon his cheek, his liquor generally does it instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/when-a-man-has-been-intemperate-so-long-that-shame-no-longer-paints-a/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Remorseless time! fierce spirit of the glass and scythe,--what power can stay him in his silent course, or melt his iron heart with pity!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/remorseless-time-fierce-spirit-of-the-glass-and-scythe-what-power-can/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Many writers profess great exactness in punctuation who never yet made a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/many-writers-profess-great-exactness-in-punctuation-who-never-yet/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) [Explore all 32 George D. Prentice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. 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There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is undoubtedly true that some people mistake sycophancy for good nature, but it is equally true that many more mistake impertinence for sincerity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George D. 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