--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prudery is often immodestly modest; its…" description: "\"Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to multiply sentinels in proportion as the fortress is less threatened.\" — George D. Prentice" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg" --- # Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to… ![“Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to multiply sentinels in proportion as the fortress is less threatened.” quote by George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg) > “Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to multiply sentinels in proportion as the fortress is less threatened.” [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. Excessive modesty creates unnecessary guards, weakening true security. **In simple terms:** Too much modesty builds false defenses. Key Takeaway Balance humility with confidence. Themes modesty security balance Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - relationships - leadership - team building - personal boundaries Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When does modesty become a barrier? - How can you maintain humility without self‑sabotage? A Different Perspective Over‑modesty can hinder honest communication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortresses/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Sentinels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentinels/) ## Related quotes > [“The peculiarity of prudery is to place all the more sentinels in proportion as the fortress is the less menaced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peculiarity-of-prudery-is-to-place-all-the-more-sentinels-in/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [Trees have from time immemorial been closely associated with magic. These stout members of the vegetable kingdom may stand for as long as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cunningham/trees-have-from-time-immemorial-been-closely-associated-with-magic/) [Scott Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cunningham/) > [That virtue which requires to be ever guarded is scarce worth the sentinel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/that-virtue-which-requires-to-be-ever-guarded-is-scarce-worth-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [I hiked around town, the air sweet and dry, and was sort of overwhelmed by the perfection of it -- the old courthouse, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-hiked-around-town-the-air-sweet-and-dry-and-was-sort-of-overwhelmed/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“He was coming to understand why the other sentinels had nicknamed her Tricks. It wasn’t just because they had taught her all the dirty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/he-was-coming-to-understand-why-the-other-sentinels-had-nicknamed-her/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, The hum of either army stilly sounds, That the fixed sentinels almost receive The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/from-camp-to-camp-through-the-foul-womb-of-night-the-hum-of-either/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Sentinels died and wards fade, but I am everliving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guymer/sentinels-died-and-wards-fade-but-i-am-everliving/) [David Guymer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guymer/) > [Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/your-endowment-is-to-receive-all-those-ordinances-in-the-house-of-the/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [We, especially those of us in depoliticized and pacified societies, need to cast a colder eye at our self-perceptions, now and in the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/we-especially-those-of-us-in-depoliticized-and-pacified-societies/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [How beautiful it is for a man to die Upon the walls of Zion! to be called Like a watch-worn and weary sentinel, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-parker-willis/how-beautiful-it-is-for-a-man-to-die-upon-the-walls-of-zion-to-be/) [Nathaniel Parker Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-parker-willis/) > [It is a noble land that God has given us: a land that can feed and clothe the world; a land whose coastlines would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-beveridge/it-is-a-noble-land-that-god-has-given-us-a-land-that-can-feed-and/) [Albert J. Beveridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-beveridge/) > [So possible is it for us to roll ourselves up in wickedness, till we grow invulnerable by conscience; and that sentinel, once dozed, sleeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/so-possible-is-it-for-us-to-roll-ourselves-up-in-wickedness-till-we/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [No person who has not spent a period of his life in those 'stark and sullen solitudes that sentinel the Pole' will understand fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/no-person-who-has-not-spent-a-period-of-his-life-in-those-stark-and/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [ \[In government\] the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-government-the-constant-aim-is-to-divide-and-arrange-the-several/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## 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 Fortresses quotes > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [Constantinople was the principal seat and fortress of Arianism; and, in a long interval of forty years, the faith of the princes and prelates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/constantinople-was-the-principal-seat-and-fortress-of-arianism-and-in/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [What happened in Kosovo was the exact reversal of what happened in 'Fortress Europe' in 1943-45. Let me explain. Air Marshall 'Bomber' Harris used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/what-happened-in-kosovo-was-the-exact-reversal-of-what-happened-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [“Defense mechanisms protect us. Fortresses isolate us. And far too often we begin with the former and end up constructing the latter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/defense-mechanisms-protect-us-fortresses-isolate-us-and-far-too-often/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Why not invest in the future of music, instead of building fortresses to preserve its past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/why-not-invest-in-the-future-of-music-instead-of-building-fortresses/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [In scripture we are told of some trusting in God and others trusting in idols, and that God is our refuge, our strength, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/in-scripture-we-are-told-of-some-trusting-in-god-and-others-trusting/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [“When the world is storm-driven and the bad that happens and the worse that threatens are so urgent as to shut out everything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/when-the-world-is-storm-driven-and-the-bad-that-happens-and-the-worse/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [I love you Lord, you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior. And my God is my rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/i-love-you-lord-you-are-my-strength-the-lord-is-my-rock-my-fortress/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Neither a Fortress nor a Maidenhead will hold out long after they begin to parley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/neither-a-fortress-nor-a-maidenhead-will-hold-out-long-after-they/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The enemy and his allies are now at the gates of the capitalists' fortress. Is there any hope that the businessman will finally sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-a-rogge/the-enemy-and-his-allies-are-now-at-the-gates-of-the-capitalists/) Benjamin A. Rogge > [XXVIII "Truth," said a traveller, "Is a rock, a mighty fortress; "Often have I been to it, "Even to its highest tower, "From whence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/xxviii-truth-said-a-traveller-is-a-rock-a-mighty-fortress-often-have/) [Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/) > [The two fortresses which are the last to yield in the human heart, are hope and pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howard-latimer/the-two-fortresses-which-are-the-last-to-yield-in-the-human-heart-are/) [Lewis Howard Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howard-latimer/) > [All dignified people in the world, whether Arabs or Muslims or others with dignity, are very proud of the speech made by president Bashar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/all-dignified-people-in-the-world-whether-arabs-or-muslims-or-others/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [ If you call \[the synagogue\] a brothel, a den of vice, the devil's refuge, Satan's fortress, a place to deprave the soul, an abyss… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/if-you-call-the-synagogue-a-brothel-a-den-of-vice-the-devil-s-refuge/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) [Browse all 152 Fortresses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortresses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to multiply sentinels in proportion as the fortress is less threatened.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George D. Prentice" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-habit-is-to-multiply-sentinels/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fortresses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-habit-is-to-multiply-sentinels/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/george-d-prentice-19839_fortresses_prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-h_1797594.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prudery is often immodestly modest; its habit is to multiply sentinels in proportion as the fortress is less…” — George D. Prentice", "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": "George D. Prentice", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prudery is often immodestly modest; its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-habit-is-to-multiply-sentinels/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/prudery-is-often-immodestly-modest-its-habit-is-to-multiply-sentinels/#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 } } ] } ```