--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beware of the virtue which a man boasts…" description: "\"Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his.\" — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png" --- # Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his. ![“Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his.” quote by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png) > “Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his.” [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pride in personal virtue can become a hidden flaw, leading to arrogance and moral blindness. **In simple terms:** Pride in virtue can be a hidden flaw. Key Takeaway Beware of boasting about moral superiority. Themes ethics pride humility self-awareness Mood reflective cautionary Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - Personal relationships - leadership - education - self-reflection Key Concepts Moral psychology virtue signaling hubris Questions to Reflect On - What virtues might you be unintentionally flaunting? - How can humility balance confidence? A Different Perspective Virtue can be misused to dominate others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [ Whenever a man boasts much about \[his common sense\], you may be pretty sure that he has very little sense, either common or uncommon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-buckle/whenever-a-man-boasts-much-about-his-common-sense-you-may-be-pretty/) [Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-buckle/) > [Boasts are wind and deeds are hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/boasts-are-wind-and-deeds-are-hard/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [He who boasts of his descent, praises the deed of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-boasts-of-his-descent-praises-the-deed-of-another/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who boasts of his pedigree praises that which does not belong to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-boasts-of-his-pedigree-praises-that-which-does-not-belong-to/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I could just sit back and get someone to spin my achievements, I suppose, but when I see others do it, I always think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/i-could-just-sit-back-and-get-someone-to-spin-my-achievements-i/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) > [To write much, and to write rapidly, are empty boasts. The world desires to know what you have done, and not how you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/to-write-much-and-to-write-rapidly-are-empty-boasts-the-world-desires/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [It is common knowledge that no man that women flock to boasts of his conquests. Those who do, lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/it-is-common-knowledge-that-no-man-that-women-flock-to-boasts-of-his/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“The virtue of man lies in his ability to correct his mistakes and continually make a new man of himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-virtue-of-man-lies-in-his-ability-to-correct-his-mistakes-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She who boasts of lovers soon has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minna-antrim/she-who-boasts-of-lovers-soon-has-none/) [Minna Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minna-antrim/) > [Of course, there are times you are excited and happy about whether you have a good game or not. But I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/of-course-there-are-times-you-are-excited-and-happy-about-whether-you/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [Youth boasts about having something that didn't cost them anything to obtain and that will last them very little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/youth-boasts-about-having-something-that-didn-t-cost-them-anything-to/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Whom boasts about his happiness, cause doesn't got it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ngel-s-ez-guti-rrez/whom-boasts-about-his-happiness-cause-doesn-t-got-it/) [Miguel Ángel Sáez Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ngel-s-ez-guti-rrez/) > [Heaven made virtue; man, the appearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/heaven-made-virtue-man-the-appearance/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [They who disbelieve in virtue because man has never been found perfect, might as reasonably deny the sun because it is not always noon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/they-who-disbelieve-in-virtue-because-man-has-never-been-found/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [I want to be prepared to claim the greatest virtue of all - that I was a man who made money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-want-to-be-prepared-to-claim-the-greatest-virtue-of-all-that-i-was/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach > [An opinion may be controverted; a prejudice, never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/an-opinion-may-be-controverted-a-prejudice-never/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Parents forgive their children least readily for the faults they themselves instilled in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/parents-forgive-their-children-least-readily-for-the-faults-they/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Genius points the way, talent takes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/genius-points-the-way-talent-takes-it/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Whoever prefers the material comforts of life over intellectual wealth is like the owner of a palace who moves into the servants’ quarters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/whoever-prefers-the-material-comforts-of-life-over-intellectual/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [The incurable ills are the imaginary ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/the-incurable-ills-are-the-imaginary-ills/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“Much less evil would be done on earth if evil could not be done in the name of good. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/much-less-evil-would-be-done-on-earth-if-evil-could-not-be-done-in/) [Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Those whom we support hold us up in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-whom-we-support-hold-us-up-in-life/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pity is love in undress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pity-is-love-in-undress/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Nothing makes us more cowardly and unconscionable than the desire to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/nothing-makes-us-more-cowardly-and-unconscionable-than-the-desire-to/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) [Explore all 158 Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## More Boast quotes > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [Further conceive, I beg, that a stone, while continuing in motion, should be capable of thinking and knowing, that it is endeavoring, as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-conceive-i-beg-that-a-stone-while-continuing-in-motion-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“In general, poor is polite and rich is rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-general-poor-is-polite-and-rich-is-rude/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“in other words, his story was part boast, part confession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mezrich/in-other-words-his-story-was-part-boast-part-confession/) [Ben Mezrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mezrich/) > [We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment. How many people can boast as much?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/we-are-not-saints-but-we-have-kept-our-appointment-how-many-people/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Boast is always a cry of despair, except in the young it is a cry of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/boast-is-always-a-cry-of-despair-except-in-the-young-it-is-a-cry-of/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [“A classic is read not to enjoy but only to be boast about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aman-jassal/a-classic-is-read-not-to-enjoy-but-only-to-be-boast-about-it/) [Aman Jassal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aman-jassal/) > [Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/buonaparte-has-often-made-his-boast-that-our-fleet-would-be-worn-out/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Wisdom can boast no higher attainment than happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-radcliffe/wisdom-can-boast-no-higher-attainment-than-happiness/) [Ann Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-radcliffe/) > [But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy, Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great: Of Nature's gifts thou mayst with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-thou-art-fair-and-at-thy-birth-dear-boy-nature-and-fortune-join-d/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Science appears but what in truth she is, Not as our glory and our absolute boast, But as a succedaneum, and a prop To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/science-appears-but-what-in-truth-she-is-not-as-our-glory-and-our/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [It has, therefore, been a favorite boast of the people of Wales and Cornwall, that the original British stock flourishes in its unmixed purity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bulfinch/it-has-therefore-been-a-favorite-boast-of-the-people-of-wales-and/) [Thomas Bulfinch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bulfinch/) > [Boasting is only a masked shame; it does not truly believe in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/boasting-is-only-a-masked-shame-it-does-not-truly-believe-in-itself/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) [Browse all 567 Boast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts-is-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boast" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts-is-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_boast_beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts_1334684.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his.” — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "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": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Beware of the virtue which a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts-is-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/beware-of-the-virtue-which-a-man-boasts-is-his/#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 } } ] } ```