--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rarely do they appear great before their…" description: "\"Rarely do they appear great before their valets. [Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.]\" — Jean de la Bruyere" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_greatness_rarely-do-they-appear-great-before-their_727265.png" --- # Rarely do they appear great before their valets. \[Fr… ![“Rarely do they appear great before their valets. [Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_greatness_rarely-do-they-appear-great-before-their_727265.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_greatness_rarely-do-they-appear-great-before-their_727265.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_greatness_rarely-do-they-appear-great-before-their_727265.png) > “Rarely do they appear great before their valets. \[Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.\]” [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. People often seem impressive only when accompanied by their servants, revealing superficial status. **In simple terms:** Greatness appears tied to the presence of attendants. Key Takeaway Judge character beyond external appearances. Themes status perception humility Mood critical analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - political gatherings - business meetings - social events - media interviews Key Concepts social hierarchy authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What defines true greatness? - How do we see beyond status symbols? A Different Perspective Appearances can be misleading; true merit may be hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) ## Related quotes > [Rarely do they appear great before their valets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/rarely-do-they-appear-great-before-their-valets/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The nearer we come to great men the more clearly we see that they are only men. They rarely seem great to their valets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-nearer-we-come-to-great-men-the-more-clearly-we-see-that-they-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I don't trust valets, waiters — nobody. I don't waste my time anymore trying to figure out who leaks things to the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-don-t-trust-valets-waiters-nobody-i-don-t-waste-my-time-anymore/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [“Ben had never seen another hotel quite like The Mandrake. The valets were all dressed like Roman Centurions, the Doorman was dressed like Caesar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/ben-had-never-seen-another-hotel-quite-like-the-mandrake-the-valets/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Personally, I'm a fan of valets and managers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-rhodes/personally-i-m-a-fan-of-valets-and-managers/) [Brandi Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-rhodes/) > ['TMZ' has the cash to buy off valets and info like flight lists or even the limo list of what celeb is being picked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rodrick/tmz-has-the-cash-to-buy-off-valets-and-info-like-flight-lists-or-even/) [Stephen Rodrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rodrick/) > [“Raj leaned over from the driver's seat to give her a quick, hard kiss. 'Don't think so hard sweetheart. I'm not dangerous.' He spun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-reynolds/raj-leaned-over-from-the-driver-s-seat-to-give-her-a-quick-hard-kiss/) [D.B. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-reynolds/) > [No man is a hero to his valet de chamber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/no-man-is-a-hero-to-his-valet-de-chamber/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [“No man is a hero to his valet. 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Few men have been admired by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/some-men-seem-remarkable-to-the-world-in-whom-neither-their-wives-nor/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Pray don’t hold back,” Robert said politely. “You can tell me what you really think of my valet.” Stewart broke in to a reluctant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/pray-don-t-hold-back-robert-said-politely-you-can-tell-me-what-you/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [The difference between a man and his valet: they both smoke the same cigars, but only one pays for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-difference-between-a-man-and-his-valet-they-both-smoke-the-same/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [I find that, in general, the amount of sharing men do with each other in one year is about the same as what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-find-that-in-general-the-amount-of-sharing-men-do-with-each-other/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Style is indeed the valet of genius, and an able one too; but as the true gentleman will appear, even in rags, so true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/style-is-indeed-the-valet-of-genius-and-an-able-one-too-but-as-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. 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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; 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Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. 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