--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Polished brass will pass upon more people…" description: "\"Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.\" — Lord Chesterfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg" --- # Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold. ![“Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.” quote by Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg) > “Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.” [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that polished, superficial appearances appeal to many, while genuine but rough excellence reaches fewer. **In simple terms:** Smoothness attracts more people than raw quality. Key Takeaway Value authenticity over mere polish. Themes appearance authenticity social perception value Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - marketing - personal branding - leadership - art criticism Key Concepts philosophy aesthetics human behavior Questions to Reflect On - When does polish become deception? - How can we recognize true substance? A Different Perspective Polished façades can mask mediocrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brass/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/virtue-and-learning-like-gold-have-their-intrinsic-value-but-if-they/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“We parked in back and walked down the stairs with their polished brass railings, past the old-fashioned kitchen. We could see the chefs cooking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/we-parked-in-back-and-walked-down-the-stairs-with-their-polished/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [Brass is polished by ashes; copper is cleaned by tamarind; a woman, by her menses; and a river by its flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/brass-is-polished-by-ashes-copper-is-cleaned-by-tamarind-a-woman-by/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The Park Avenue of poodles and polished brass; it is cab country, tip-town, glassville, a window-washer's paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gay-talese/the-park-avenue-of-poodles-and-polished-brass-it-is-cab-country-tip/) [Gay Talese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gay-talese/) > [It must be owned, that the Graces do not seem to be natives of Great Britain; and I doubt, the best of us here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-must-be-owned-that-the-graces-do-not-seem-to-be-natives-of-great/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Manners must adorn knowledge and smooth its way in the world, without them it is like a great rough diamond, very well in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/manners-must-adorn-knowledge-and-smooth-its-way-in-the-world-without/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-boiler-iron-granite-facts/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Don Quixote followed nature, and being satisfied with his first sleep, did not solicit more. As for Sancho, he never wanted a second, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/don-quixote-followed-nature-and-being-satisfied-with-his-first-sleep/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [My father died very suddenly at sixty-three. Just dropped dead. For a long time afterward, I'd ask myself, Why didn't I ask him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/my-father-died-very-suddenly-at-sixty-three-just-dropped-dead-for-a/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Man, I did love this game. I'd have played for food money... I used to love traveling on the trains from town to town.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/man-i-did-love-this-game-i-d-have-played-for-food-money-i-used-to/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I liked the taste of beer, its live, white lather, its brass-bright depths, the sudden world through the wet-brown walls of the glass, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/i-liked-the-taste-of-beer-its-live-white-lather-its-brass-bright/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body's breath, and the strings' wails and moans are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/jazz-is-the-music-of-the-body-the-breath-comes-through-brass-it-is/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) ## More by Lord Chesterfield > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-am-in-the-pitiable-situation-of-feeling-all-the-force-of-temptation/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-is-commonly-said-that-ridicule-is-the-best-test-of-truth-for-that/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody knows some one thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-any-place-or-any-company-where-you-may-not-gain/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/assurance-and-intrepidity-under-the-white-banner-of-seeming-modesty/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/many-a-man-would-rather-you-heard-his-story-than-grant-his-request/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) [Explore all 378 Lord Chesterfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More Appearance quotes > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/) [Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/) > [We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years - most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-scott-latourette/we-must-however-note-that-what-are-usually-called-the-high-religions/) [Kenneth Scott Latourette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-scott-latourette/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [You can have a nice body, dress with the latest fashion. But if you don't have self-confidence sweetheart, forget about looking sexy, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/you-can-have-a-nice-body-dress-with-the-latest-fashion-but-if-you-don/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are one of many appearances of the thing called Life; we are not its perfect image, for it has no perfect image except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/we-are-one-of-many-appearances-of-the-thing-called-life-we-are-not/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [I'm OK with my appearance. I have made my peace with it after a long and frankly exhausting battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-m-ok-with-my-appearance-i-have-made-my-peace-with-it-after-a-long/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Appearance records are pretty special. Mine means a lot to me, not only because I love stats, but because it shows that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/appearance-records-are-pretty-special-mine-means-a-lot-to-me-not-only/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [Every man would fall in love with their voice, their lovely appearance, but no man would ever get past that. 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People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) Browse all 2,446 Appearance quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lord Chesterfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-people-than-rough-gold/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appearance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-people-than-rough-gold/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/lord-chesterfield-757_appearance_polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-peopl_1380681.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.” — Lord Chesterfield", "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": "Lord Chesterfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Polished brass will pass upon more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-people-than-rough-gold/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/polished-brass-will-pass-upon-more-people-than-rough-gold/#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 } } ] } ```