--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit." description: "\"A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.\" — Jean de la Bruyere" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png" --- # A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit. ![“A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png) > “A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.” [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A coxcomb (a vain fool) is praised by a blockhead (a stupid person) as if he were meritorious, highlighting absurd flattery. **In simple terms:** Foolish praise of a fool. Key Takeaway Beware of empty compliments. Themes vanity flattery absurdity Mood skeptical critical Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - politics - social media Key Concepts social satire ego misjudgment Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes praise the undeserving? - What are the effects of insincere flattery? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blockhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blockhead/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [A coxcomb is one whom simpletons believe to be a man of merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-coxcomb-is-one-whom-simpletons-believe-to-be-a-man-of-merit/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A blockhead cannot come in, nor go away, nor sit, nor rise, nor stand, like a man of sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-blockhead-cannot-come-in-nor-go-away-nor-sit-nor-rise-nor-stand/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For my part I think the Learned, and Unlearned Blockhead pretty equal; for 'tis all one to me, whether a Man talk Nonsense, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-astell/for-my-part-i-think-the-learned-and-unlearned-blockhead-pretty-equal/) [Mary Astell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-astell/) > [A lively blockhead in company is a public benefit. Silence or dulness by the side of folly looks like wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-lively-blockhead-in-company-is-a-public-benefit-silence-or-dulness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The bookful blockhead ignorantly read, With loads of learned lumber in his head, With his own tongue still edifies his ears, And always list'ning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/the-bookful-blockhead-ignorantly-read-with-loads-of-learned-lumber-in-2/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Never give your heart to a blockhead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/never-give-your-heart-to-a-blockhead/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [When there is sympathy, there needs but one wise man in a company and all are wise,--so, a blockhead makes a blockhead of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-there-is-sympathy-there-needs-but-one-wise-man-in-a-company-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It is intolerable that it should be in the power of one blockhead to do so much mischief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-james/it-is-intolerable-that-it-should-be-in-the-power-of-one-blockhead-to/) [Charles James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-james/) > [I have come to the conclusion never again to think of marrying, and for this reason, I can never be satisfied with anyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-never-again-to-think-of-marrying-and/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I started freestyling with friends about eight or nine years ago. I started writing also around the same time, but didn't meet blockhead until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-started-freestyling-with-friends-about-eight-or-nine-years-ago-i/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [I myself identify as a recovering Blockhead. You'd be surprised how many twenty- and thirty-something hipster chicks have the NKOTB skeleton in their closet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/i-myself-identify-as-a-recovering-blockhead-you-d-be-surprised-how/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [All the world says of a coxcomb that he is a coxcomb; but no one dares to say so to his face, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/all-the-world-says-of-a-coxcomb-that-he-is-a-coxcomb-but-no-one-dares/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A fool is one whom simpletons believe to be a man on merit. \[Fr., Un fat celui que les sots croient un homme de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-fool-is-one-whom-simpletons-believe-to-be-a-man-on-merit-fr-un-fat/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that induces us to admire a fool. \[Fr., Du meme fonds dont on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-same-principle-leads-us-to-neglect-a-man-of-merit-that-induces-us-2/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Nature in her whole drama never drew such a part; she has sometimes made a fool, but a coxcomb is always of a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/nature-in-her-whole-drama-never-drew-such-a-part-she-has-sometimes/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More Blockhead quotes > [No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-man-but-a-blockhead-ever-wrote-except-for-money/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-learned-blockhead-is-a-greater-blockhead-than-an-ignorant-one/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I myself identify as a recovering Blockhead. You'd be surprised how many twenty- and thirty-something hipster chicks have the NKOTB skeleton in their closet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/i-myself-identify-as-a-recovering-blockhead-you-d-be-surprised-how/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [Being a blockhead is sometimes the best security against being cheated by a man of wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/being-a-blockhead-is-sometimes-the-best-security-against-being/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Heart agitated with remains of former passion is most susceptible to a new one...How unpardonable would it have been in you to have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-withey/heart-agitated-with-remains-of-former-passion-is-most-susceptible-to/) [Lynne Withey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-withey/) > [The vanity of teaching doth oft tempt a man to forget that he is a blockhead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-vanity-of-teaching-doth-oft-tempt-a-man-to-forget-that-he-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I started freestyling with friends about eight or nine years ago. I started writing also around the same time, but didn't meet blockhead until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-started-freestyling-with-friends-about-eight-or-nine-years-ago-i/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“(“No man but a blockhead ever wrote for any cause but money,” Samuel Johnson said.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/no-man-but-a-blockhead-ever-wrote-for-any-cause-but-money-samuel/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [Clairvoyant, n.: A person, commonly a woman, who has the power of seeing that which is invisible to her patron - namely, that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clairvoyant-n-a-person-commonly-a-woman-who-has-the-power-of-seeing/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I have come to the conclusion never again to think of marrying, and for this reason, I can never be satisfied with anyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-never-again-to-think-of-marrying-and/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Everyone calls him Blockhead No one sings his praises Or takes him to heart... That is the kind of person I want to be”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenji-miyazawa/everyone-calls-him-blockhead-no-one-sings-his-praises-or-takes-him-to/) [Kenji Miyazawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenji-miyazawa/) > [I went to college in '94 and started freestyling a lot more and hearing how others did it, hearing styles from other regions, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-went-to-college-in-94-and-started-freestyling-a-lot-more-and/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“Every single person is a fool, insane, a failure, or a bad person to at least ten people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/every-single-person-is-a-fool-insane-a-failure-or-a-bad-person-to-at/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [It is intolerable that it should be in the power of one blockhead to do so much mischief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-james/it-is-intolerable-that-it-should-be-in-the-power-of-one-blockhead-to/) [Charles James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-james/) > [When there is sympathy, there needs but one wise man in a company and all are wise,--so, a blockhead makes a blockhead of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-there-is-sympathy-there-needs-but-one-wise-man-in-a-company-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 27 Blockhead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blockhead/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-merit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blockhead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-merit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_blockhead_a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-meri_2231900.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.” — Jean de la Bruyere", "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": "Jean de la Bruyere", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A coxcomb is the blockhead's man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-merit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-coxcomb-is-the-blockhead-s-man-of-merit/#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 } } ] } ```