--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always see those of whom I have heard…" description: "\"I always see those of whom I have heard well with a slight disappointment. They are so much better than the great herd, and yet the heavens are not shi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/henry-david-thoreau-20_diamond_i-always-see-those-of-whom-i-have-heard_2936346.jpg" --- # I always see those of whom I have heard well with a slight… ![“I always see those of whom I have heard well with a slight disappointment. They are so much better than the great herd, and yet the heavens are not shivered into diamonds over their heads.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/henry-david-thoreau-20_diamond_i-always-see-those-of-whom-i-have-heard_2936346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/henry-david-thoreau-20_diamond_i-always-see-those-of-whom-i-have-heard_2936346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/henry-david-thoreau-20_diamond_i-always-see-those-of-whom-i-have-heard_2936346.jpg) > “I always see those of whom I have heard well with a slight disappointment. They are so much better than the great herd, and yet the heavens are not shivered into diamonds over their heads.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even those who seem superior are not granted divine favor; humility remains essential. **In simple terms:** Superiority doesn’t guarantee special favor. Key Takeaway Stay humble despite achievements. Themes humility ego spirituality Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership training - ethical counseling Key Concepts philosophical reflection human nature social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect leadership? - What limits our perception of superiority? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamond/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Great Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-herd-4354182/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Heard Slight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-slight-4354183/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/herd/) [Herd Heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/herd-heavens-4354180/) [Herds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/herds/) [Slight Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slight-disappointment-4354181/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever I see if my quote is not a choice, there is a slight disappointment, but I'm not desperate , Inspiration are not able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/whenever-i-see-if-my-quote-is-not-a-choice-there-is-a-slight/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [If all you do is follow the herd, you'll just be stepping in poop all day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/if-all-you-do-is-follow-the-herd-you-ll-just-be-stepping-in-poop-all/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [One small cloud, cast out by the herd, limps away to the west.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/one-small-cloud-cast-out-by-the-herd-limps-away-to-the-west/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [We have no leadership. They rule by herd. Nobody is in charge. It reminds me of a bunch of cows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bud-grant/we-have-no-leadership-they-rule-by-herd-nobody-is-in-charge-it/) [Bud Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bud-grant/) > [I've always thought that anyone who needs to join a herd so badly must be a bit of a sheep himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-ve-always-thought-that-anyone-who-needs-to-join-a-herd-so-badly/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Christians call it faith ... I call it the herd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/christians-call-it-faith-i-call-it-the-herd/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We are the most amazing creatures that this world has ever produced, but we seem to also have this herd mentality; we seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/we-are-the-most-amazing-creatures-that-this-world-has-ever-produced/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [It's much better to say, "If the herd is running, I'm running with those guys." And humans have herd mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-barnard/it-s-much-better-to-say-if-the-herd-is-running-i-m-running-with-those/) [Neal Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-barnard/) > [We have within us, from the start, that which will distinguish us from the vulgar herd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-within-us-from-the-start-that-which-will-distinguish-us-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wouldn't be able to do anything with my vampire horde except make it run around in a herd, but it would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-do-anything-with-my-vampire-horde-except-make/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Following the herd is fine, until they all run off the side of a cliff together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/following-the-herd-is-fine-until-they-all-run-off-the-side-of-a-cliff/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Some people are little more than herd animals, flocking together whenever the world becomes uncomfortable … I am not one of those people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/some-people-are-little-more-than-herd-animals-flocking-together/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Cultural institutions by and large share one primary objective: herd control. Even when ostensibly benign, their propensity for manipulation, compartmentalization, standardization and suppression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/cultural-institutions-by-and-large-share-one-primary-objective-herd/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Of what use is it to please the herd? They are simply coarse animals - for all that is admirable in man is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/of-what-use-is-it-to-please-the-herd-they-are-simply-coarse-animals/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [How would she find her herd? How would she find you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/how-would-she-find-her-herd-how-would-she-find-you/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Diamond quotes > [People from all walks of life that you might find as a King Diamond fan - you don't look a certain way; you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-diamond/people-from-all-walks-of-life-that-you-might-find-as-a-king-diamond/) [King Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-diamond/) > [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [The brightest and most valuable diamond started life as just a lump of carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dilger/the-brightest-and-most-valuable-diamond-started-life-as-just-a-lump/) [Peter Dilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dilger/) > [It was an incredible experience performing for the members and attendees at the Diamond Resorts Invitational; it was such an impressive event, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/it-was-an-incredible-experience-performing-for-the-members-and/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The only difference between black coal and a precious diamond is the amount of pressure it endured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/the-only-difference-between-black-coal-and-a-precious-diamond-is-the/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-sky-was-a-sparkling-succession-of-black-diamonds-on-black-velvet/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“You're the proverbial diamond in the rough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/you-re-the-proverbial-diamond-in-the-rough/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Instead of the 1997 film directed, written, by James Cameron with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane creating a love story and a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/instead-of-the-1997-film-directed-written-by-james-cameron-with/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [“I had a dream that my boyfriend went back to his ex…I woke up and giggled because you don’t pick up a rock after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starley-ard/i-had-a-dream-that-my-boyfriend-went-back-to-his-ex-i-woke-up-and/) [Starley Ard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starley-ard/) > [I'll just do a round around of the house and make sure the rest of the family are fast asleep. 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