--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a man is lies as certainly upon his…" description: "\"What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in his heart, though none of his acquaintances may be able to read it. The very intercourse wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png" --- # What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in… ![“What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in his heart, though none of his acquaintances may be able to read it. The very intercourse with him may have rendered it more difficult.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png) > “What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in his heart, though none of his acquaintances may be able to read it. The very intercourse with him may have rendered it more difficult.” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External appearance often mirrors inner character, yet others may misinterpret or miss it entirely. **In simple terms:** Looks reflect the heart, but people may not see it. Key Takeaway Observe beyond the surface. Themes appearance character perception Mood thoughtful observant Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - interpersonal relationships - leadership - first impressions Key Concepts psychology social perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you better read someone's true character? - What cues reveal inner values? A Different Perspective People may hide true feelings despite outward cues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intercourse/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [One who shows signs of mental aberration is, inevitably, perhaps, but cruelly, shut off from familiar, thoughtless intercourse, partly excommunicated; his isolation is unwittingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-horton-cooley/one-who-shows-signs-of-mental-aberration-is-inevitably-perhaps-but/) [Charles Horton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-horton-cooley/) > [The real man lies in the depths of subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-real-man-lies-in-the-depths-of-subconscious/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“He'd played at being a different man, but it had all been lies. The hardest kind to see through. The kind you tell yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/he-d-played-at-being-a-different-man-but-it-had-all-been-lies-the/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [A man lies upon the floor, spreads his arms, and transforms himself into a ship of a thousand sails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/a-man-lies-upon-the-floor-spreads-his-arms-and-transforms-himself/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [When a man lies he murders some part of the world These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives All this i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-lies-he-murders-some-part-of-the-world-these-are-the-pale/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/above-all-don-t-lie-to-yourself-the-man-who-lies-to-himself-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a leading man and the lies I weave are oh so intricate, Oh so intricate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fall-out-boy/i-m-a-leading-man-and-the-lies-i-weave-are-oh-so-intricate-oh-so/) [Fall Out Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fall-out-boy/) > [A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies, becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/a-man-who-lies-to-himself-and-believes-his-own-lies-becomes-unable-to-2/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-olsen/when-a-man-lies-he-murders-some-part-of-the-world/) [Merlin Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-olsen/) > [A man who lies, thinking it is the truth, is an honest man, and a man who tells the truth, believing it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/a-man-who-lies-thinking-it-is-the-truth-is-an-honest-man-and-a-man/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/a-man-who-lies-to-himself-and-believes-his-own-lies-becomes-unable-to/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The man who lies asleep will never waken fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-man-who-lies-asleep-will-never-waken-fame/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“The virtue of man lies in his ability to correct his mistakes and continually make a new man of himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-virtue-of-man-lies-in-his-ability-to-correct-his-mistakes-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One man lies in his words, and gets a bad reputation; another in his manners, and enjoys a good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/one-man-lies-in-his-words-and-gets-a-bad-reputation-another-in-his/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in his heart, though none of his acquaintances may be able to read it. The very intercourse with him may have rendered it more difficult.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his-countenance-as-in-his-heart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his-countenance-as-in-his-heart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39a/george-macdonald-295_able_what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his_752639.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What a man is lies as certainly upon his countenance as in his heart, though none of his acquaintances may…” — George MacDonald", "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 MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What a man is lies as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his-countenance-as-in-his-heart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-a-man-is-lies-as-certainly-upon-his-countenance-as-in-his-heart/#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 } } ] } ```