--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We meet With few utterly dull and stupid…" description: "\"We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extreme..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png" --- # We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the… ![“We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes: the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, and the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png) > “We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes: the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, and the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth.” [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. He observes society’s spectrum from dull to sublime, noting many useful ordinary geniuses. **In simple terms:** Society ranges from dull to sublime, with many useful ordinary people. Key Takeaway Value ordinary contributions. Themes society human nature utility Mood observational analytical Type social philosophical When to use this quote - education - team building - community planning Key Concepts social hierarchy human potential Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize hidden talent? - What role do ordinary people play in progress? A Different Perspective Ordinary genius can be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commonwealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonwealth/) [Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Fewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewer/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Generalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalities/) [Generality Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generality-mankind-1874159/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Geniuses Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geniuses-useful-1874160/) [Intervals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intervals/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Multitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes/) [Multitudes Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes-ordinary-1874158/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary Geniuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-geniuses-1874156/) [Ornaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ornaments/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Sublime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sublime/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Transcendent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent/) [Transcendent Fewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent-fewer-1874157/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-extremes/) ## Related quotes > [It is bad enough that our geniuses cannot do anything useful, but it is worse that no man is fit for society who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-bad-enough-that-our-geniuses-cannot-do-anything-useful-but-it/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It is thus that the generality of mankind, whose lot is ignorance, attributes to the Divinity, not only the unusual effects which strike them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/it-is-thus-that-the-generality-of-mankind-whose-lot-is-ignorance/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [It is certain that the easy and obvious philosophy will always, with the generality of mankind, have preference above the accurate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-certain-that-the-easy-and-obvious-philosophy-will-always-with/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“It was badly received by the generation to which it was first addressed, and the outpouring of angry nonsense to which it gave rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/it-was-badly-received-by-the-generation-to-which-it-was-first/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [The generality of mankind is lazy. What distinguishes men of genuine achievement from the rest of us is not so much their intellectual powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-generality-of-mankind-is-lazy-what-distinguishes-men-of-genuine/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [It is good sense applied with diligence to what was at first a mere accident, and which by great application grew to be called,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-good-sense-applied-with-diligence-to-what-was-at-first-a-mere/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Eloquence, when at its highest pitch, leaves little room for reason or reflection; but addressing itself entirely to the fancy or the affections, captivates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/eloquence-when-at-its-highest-pitch-leaves-little-room-for-reason-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think there is a blossom about me of something more distinguished than the generality of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/i-think-there-is-a-blossom-about-me-of-something-more-distinguished/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Out of the ashes of misanthropy benevolence rises again; we find many virtues where we had imagined all was vice, many acts of disinterested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/out-of-the-ashes-of-misanthropy-benevolence-rises-again-we-find-many/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The Buddha's message was simple but profound. Neither a life of self-indulgence nor one of self-mortification can bring happiness. Only a middle path, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henepola-gunaratana/the-buddha-s-message-was-simple-but-profound-neither-a-life-of-self/) [Henepola Gunaratana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henepola-gunaratana/) > [We always come back to the same misunderstanding. The Jews because of their spirit of revolt, their exclusiveness and the Messianic tendencies which animate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-v-deponcins/we-always-come-back-to-the-same-misunderstanding-the-jews-because-of/) [Leon V. DePoncins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-v-deponcins/) > [The middle way cannot be achieved by dividing two extremes in half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-middle-way-cannot-be-achieved-by-dividing-two-extremes-in-half/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-turbulent-times-in-times-of-great-change-people-head-for-the-two/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [People have one of two extreme reactions to my book. They either throw it across the room, or they rush out and buy 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/people-have-one-of-two-extreme-reactions-to-my-book-they-either-throw/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Every virtue is a mean between two extremes, each of which is a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/every-virtue-is-a-mean-between-two-extremes-each-of-which-is-a-vice/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## 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 Commonwealth quotes > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [ Brian Mulroney, myself, \[and\] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core \[of the Commonwealth \]. That was the engine room, I reckon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-that-was-the-real-core/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/) [Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/) > [Members in the Commonwealth of God are not bound together by the specifics of their religion, for the nature of our interdependency does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/members-in-the-commonwealth-of-god-are-not-bound-together-by-the/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [I would like to thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for the very fair manner in which this matter has been dealt with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-collins/i-would-like-to-thank-the-commonwealth-games-federation-for-the-very/) [Kim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-collins/) > [Though bachelors be the strongest stakes, married men are the best binders, in the hedge of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/though-bachelors-be-the-strongest-stakes-married-men-are-the-best/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I am prepared to resort to anything, to submit to anything, for the sake of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/i-am-prepared-to-resort-to-anything-to-submit-to-anything-for-the/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [The civil magistrate cannot function without some ethical guidance, without some standard of good and evil. If that standard is not to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-civil-magistrate-cannot-function-without-some-ethical-guidance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a divine commonwealth holiness must have the principal honor and encouragement, and a great difference be made between the precious and the vile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/in-a-divine-commonwealth-holiness-must-have-the-principal-honor-and/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [And who can doubt that it will lead to the worst disorders when minds created free by God are compelled to submit slavishly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/and-who-can-doubt-that-it-will-lead-to-the-worst-disorders-when-minds/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [In Boston, we don't lead by ourselves. We lead as the capital city and economic engine of a great Commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/in-boston-we-don-t-lead-by-ourselves-we-lead-as-the-capital-city-and/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [If the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, Britain will argue for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-straw/if-the-situation-in-zimbabwe-continues-to-deteriorate-britain-will/) [Jack Straw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-straw/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Browse all 251 Commonwealth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonwealth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes: the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, and the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid-souls-the-sublime-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commonwealth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid-souls-the-sublime-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_commonwealth_we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid_1782463.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality…” — 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": "We meet With few utterly dull...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid-souls-the-sublime-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-meet-with-few-utterly-dull-and-stupid-souls-the-sublime-and/#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 } } ] } ```