--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have known some men possessed of good…" description: "\"I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the front of a h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/jonathan-swift-433_fronts_i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good_1859420.jpg" --- # I have known some men possessed of good qualities which… ![“I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the front of a house, to inform the neighbours and passengers, but not the owner within.” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/jonathan-swift-433_fronts_i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good_1859420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/jonathan-swift-433_fronts_i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good_1859420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/jonathan-swift-433_fronts_i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good_1859420.jpg) > “I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the front of a house, to inform the neighbours and passengers, but not the owner within.” [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People can have talents that help others but not themselves, like a sundial useful to outsiders but not its owner. **In simple terms:** Useful traits may not benefit the holder. Key Takeaway Recognize and develop personal value. Themes self-awareness service utility humility Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - mentoring - personal growth Key Concepts altruism self-fulfillment misaligned talent Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn outward-serving skills inward? - What self‑benefit can you create from helping others? A Different Perspective Talent may be wasted without self-application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-qualities/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neighbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbour/) [Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) ## Related quotes > [It is with certain good qualities as with the senses; those who have them not can neither appreciate nor comprehend them in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-with-certain-good-qualities-as-with-the-senses-those-who-have/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A good teacher will appreciate the good qualities of his students. If one good quality is allowed to emerge, a world of good qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/a-good-teacher-will-appreciate-the-good-qualities-of-his-students-if/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [We are not greatly pleased that our friends should respect our good qualities if they venture to perceive our faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-not-greatly-pleased-that-our-friends-should-respect-our-good/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The best way to make ourselves agreeable to others is by seeming to think them so. If we appear fully sensible of their good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-way-to-make-ourselves-agreeable-to-others-is-by-seeming-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I could tell you what my good qualities are. There's my honesty; I have a very wacky, kind of dry humor that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannen-doherty/i-could-tell-you-what-my-good-qualities-are-there-s-my-honesty-i-have/) [Shannen Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannen-doherty/) > [In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-the-intercourse-of-life-we-please-more-by-our-faults-than-by-our/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The rarest of the good qualities in human beings is courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-rarest-of-the-good-qualities-in-human-beings-is-courage/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Do not be jealous of others' good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/do-not-be-jealous-of-others-good-qualities-but-out-of-admiration/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [A single son endowed with good qualities is far better than a hundred devoid of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-single-son-endowed-with-good-qualities-is-far-better-than-a-hundred/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one, and if a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/if-a-man-has-ten-good-qualities-and-one-bad-one-to-look-at-the-ten/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [The honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-honors-and-rewards-fall-to-those-who-show-their-good-qualities-in/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Many a man's vices have at first been nothing worse than good qualities run wild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/many-a-man-s-vices-have-at-first-been-nothing-worse-than-good/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Positiveness is a good quality for preachers and speakers because, whoever shares his thoughts with the public will convince them as he himself appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/positiveness-is-a-good-quality-for-preachers-and-speakers-because/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Love, yes. Word known to all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/love-yes-word-known-to-all-men/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [The only monsters I have ever known were men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by Jonathan Swift > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/he-said-he-knew-no-reason-why-those-who-entertain-opinions/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. 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