--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What honest boy would pride himself on…" description: "\"What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets ? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of doing one's duty is then a sign..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg" --- # What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets… ![“What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets ? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of doing one's duty is then a sign of how little one does it, and how little one sees what a contemptible thing it is not to do it. Could any but a low creature be conceited of not…” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg) > “What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets ? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of doing one's duty is then a sign of how little one does it, and how little one sees what a contemptible thing it is not to do it. Could any but a low creature be conceited of not being contemptible? Until our duty becomes to us common as breathing, we are poor creatures.” [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. Pride in avoiding duty reveals moral weakness; true humility sees duty as natural and common. **In simple terms:** Pride in duty shows moral weakness; humility sees duty as natural. Key Takeaway Embrace duty without seeking praise. Themes humility duty pride morality Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - community service Key Concepts ethical responsibility self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when duty becomes a source of pride? - What practices keep you humble in service? A Different Perspective Even modest duty can become a source of vanity if not checked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) ## Related quotes > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I think Willim Shakespeare was the wisest human being I ever heard of. To be perfectly frank though, that's not saying much. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-think-willim-shakespeare-was-the-wisest-human-being-i-ever-heard-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I detest mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pseudonymous-bosch/i-detest-mediocrity/) [Pseudonymous Bosch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pseudonymous-bosch/) > [“Mankind must without a doubt be the most conceited race in the universe, for who else believes that God has nothing better to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dean-foster/mankind-must-without-a-doubt-be-the-most-conceited-race-in-the/) [Alan Dean Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dean-foster/) > [Life is a bitch, but mine is a diva.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-bitch-but-mine-is-a-diva/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The emptiest people on this planet are usually the ones full of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-emptiest-people-on-this-planet-are-usually-the-ones-full-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-thinks-he-is-not-conceited-he-is-very-conceited-indeed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of all trees, I observe God hath chosen the vine, a low plant that creeps upon the helpful wall; of all beasts, the soft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/of-all-trees-i-observe-god-hath-chosen-the-vine-a-low-plant-that/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [The smaller the mind, the greater the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-smaller-the-mind-the-greater-the-ego/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [My name is what hoes tend to mention, keep talking bitches, I love the attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-name-is-what-hoes-tend-to-mention-keep-talking-bitches-i-love-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am the jongleur. I leap and pirouette, and make you laugh. I make fun of those in power, and I show you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-fo/i-am-the-jongleur-i-leap-and-pirouette-and-make-you-laugh-i-make-fun/) [Dario Fo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-fo/) > [For the record, someone will ALWAYS say that you are too big, too thin, too lean, too fat, too whatever. In my opinion, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-eason/for-the-record-someone-will-always-say-that-you-are-too-big-too-thin/) [Jamie Eason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-eason/) > [Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/narcissus-does-not-fall-in-love-with-his-reflection-because-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [Check me out, check me out, I'm on some conceited shit. Pocket full dead presidents but I ain't grieving bitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juelz-santana/check-me-out-check-me-out-i-m-on-some-conceited-shit-pocket-full-dead/) [Juelz Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juelz-santana/) ## 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 Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) MrAwesome > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets ? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of doing one's duty is then a sign of how little one does it, and how little one sees what a contemptible thing it is not to do it. Could any but a low creature be conceited of not being contemptible? Until our duty becomes to us common as breathing, we are poor creatures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-not-picking-pockets-a-thief/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boys" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-not-picking-pockets-a-thief/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/george-macdonald-295_boys_what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-n_2834121.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets ? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be…” — 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 honest boy would pride himself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-not-picking-pockets-a-thief/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-honest-boy-would-pride-himself-on-not-picking-pockets-a-thief/#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 } } ] } ```