--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and…" description: "\"Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many weaknesses.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg" --- # Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it… ![“Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many weaknesses.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg) > “Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many weaknesses.” [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. Sincerity is scarce and valuable; people often complain about it while exploiting others' vulnerabilities. **In simple terms:** Sincerity is rare and exploited. Key Takeaway Value genuine honesty. Themes virtue rarity complaint betrayal weakness Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical maxim When to use this quote - personal relationships - public speaking - leadership Key Concepts ethical behavior human nature Practical Applications - ethical coaching - trust‑building workshops Questions to Reflect On - What costs do we pay for insincere interactions? - How can we cultivate sincerity in daily life? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Pardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pardon/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [“Sincere--that was the hell of it. From a distance, one's adversaries seemed fiends, but with a closer view, one saw the sincerity and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr/sincere-that-was-the-hell-of-it-from-a-distance-one-s-adversaries/) [Walter M. Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) > [“She had that rare virtue of never existing completely except for that opportune monent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/she-had-that-rare-virtue-of-never-existing-completely-except-for-that/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Arcadio had seen her many times working in her parents' small food store but he had never taken a good look at her because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/arcadio-had-seen-her-many-times-working-in-her-parents-small-food/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [It does seem to me, that herein we see the rare virtue of a strong individual vitality, and the rare virtue of thick walls,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/it-does-seem-to-me-that-herein-we-see-the-rare-virtue-of-a-strong/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“She had that rare virtue of never existing completely except for that opportune moment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/she-had-that-rare-virtue-of-never-existing-completely-except-for-that-2/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Rare is the virtue that's not ruled by Fortune, That stands unshaken even when Fortune flees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/rare-is-the-virtue-that-s-not-ruled-by-fortune-that-stands-unshaken/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Right, then, mate, terribly sorry for my unspeakable rudeness, and I do beg your pardon. I can only say that it was caused by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/right-then-mate-terribly-sorry-for-my-unspeakable-rudeness-and-i-do/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [You will pardon some obscurities, for there are more secrets in my trade than in most men's, and yet not voluntarily kept, but inseparable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-will-pardon-some-obscurities-for-there-are-more-secrets-in-my/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Why the jailer does not leave open his prison doors,--why the judge does not dismiss his case,--why the preacher does not dismisshis congregation! It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/why-the-jailer-does-not-leave-open-his-prison-doors-why-the-judge/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Hate can pardon more than love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/hate-can-pardon-more-than-love/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The word which is best said came nearest to not being spoken at all, for it is cousin to a deed which the speaker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-word-which-is-best-said-came-nearest-to-not-being-spoken-at-all/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Deep are the foundations of sincerity. Even stone walls have their foundation below the frost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/deep-are-the-foundations-of-sincerity-even-stone-walls-have-their/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I, on my side, require of every writer, first or last, a simple and sincere account of his own life, and not merely what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-on-my-side-require-of-every-writer-first-or-last-a-simple-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, youve got it made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraudoux/the-secret-of-success-is-sincerity-once-you-can-fake-that-youve-got/) [Jean Giraudoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraudoux/) > [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## 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 Betrayal quotes > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [There is no deceit in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though ... betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/there-is-no-deceit-in-death-it-delivers-precisely-what-it-has/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As they say in New York, Get over it and, if you can't get over it, Get over talking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/as-they-say-in-new-york-get-over-it-and-if-you-can-t-get-over-it-get/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [“He returned her gaze, yearning for sentimental solace; love which emanated from a familiar source, mattered little how bedevilling. They shared an intimate moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/he-returned-her-gaze-yearning-for-sentimental-solace-love-which/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [I was always here for you,you knew you could count on me and trust me blindly, and you knew that I would never tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayssus/i-was-always-here-for-you-you-knew-you-could-count-on-me-and-trust-me/) [Michael Hayssus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayssus/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Betrayal and love are not mutually exclusive." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/betrayal-and-love-are-not-mutually-exclusive-mordred/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [Love comes exactly... To those who still hope, even though they've been disappointed. To those who still believe, even though they've been betrayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizhan/love-comes-exactly-to-those-who-still-hope-even-though-they-ve-been/) [Mizhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mizhan/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Betrayal is a serious thing in this world,you know what else is serious? Being lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina/betrayal-is-a-serious-thing-in-this-world-you-know-what-else-is/) [Sabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina/) > [The greatest temptation for the like of us is: to renounce violence, to repent, to make peace with oneself. Most revolutionaries fell before this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-greatest-temptation-for-the-like-of-us-is-to-renounce-violence-to/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) [Browse all 2,050 Betrayal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many weaknesses.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and-we-pardon-to-it-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betrayal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and-we-pardon-to-it-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/henry-david-thoreau-20_betrayal_sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and_95634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many…” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sincerity is a great but rare...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and-we-pardon-to-it-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/sincerity-is-a-great-but-rare-virtue-and-we-pardon-to-it-much/#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 } } ] } ```