--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not many men have both good fortune and…" description: "\"Not many men have both good fortune and good sense.\" — Marilyn French" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png" --- # Not many men have both good fortune and good sense. ![“Not many men have both good fortune and good sense.” quote by Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png) > “Not many men have both good fortune and good sense.” [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fortune alone is insufficient; good judgment is also required for success. **In simple terms:** Both luck and sense matter. Key Takeaway Cultivate wisdom alongside seeking opportunities. Themes fortune wisdom decision‑making life balance Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career planning - financial decisions - relationships - health choices Key Concepts risk assessment ethical choices personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance chance and careful planning? - What habits improve your judgment? A Different Perspective Relying solely on luck can lead to poor outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Fortune Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-good-767367/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fortune/) [Good sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-sense/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-good/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Henceforth I ask not good fortune. I myself am good fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/henceforth-i-ask-not-good-fortune-i-myself-am-good-fortune/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [All fortune is good fortune; for it either rewards, disciplines, amends, or punishes, and so is either useful or just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boethius/all-fortune-is-good-fortune-for-it-either-rewards-disciplines-amends/) [Boethius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boethius/) > [“But fortunate means that a man has assigned to himself a good fortune: and a good fortune is good disposition of the soul, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/but-fortunate-means-that-a-man-has-assigned-to-himself-a-good-fortune/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Men are seldom blessed with good fortune and good sense at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/men-are-seldom-blessed-with-good-fortune-and-good-sense-at-the-same/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [I was once a fortunate man but at some point fortune abandoned me. But true good fortune is what you make for yourself. Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-was-once-a-fortunate-man-but-at-some-point-fortune-abandoned-me-but/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Only learn to seize good fortune, for good fortune's always here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/only-learn-to-seize-good-fortune-for-good-fortune-s-always-here/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“...good fortune is not only good fortune, and over the years things happened in that family that caused some terrible regret. Still, for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/good-fortune-is-not-only-good-fortune-and-over-the-years-things/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [The bad fortune of the good turns their faces up to heaven; the good fortune of the bad bows their heads down to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bad-fortune-of-the-good-turns-their-faces-up-to-heaven-the-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You had my heart, and I yours; a heart for a heart, good fortune for good fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marceline-desbordes-valmore/you-had-my-heart-and-i-yours-a-heart-for-a-heart-good-fortune-for/) [Marceline Desbordes-Valmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marceline-desbordes-valmore/) > [If a man is to lose his fortune, it is a good thing if he were poor before he acquired it, for poverty requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/if-a-man-is-to-lose-his-fortune-it-is-a-good-thing-if-he-were-poor/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [You don't have to spend a fortune to have a good holiday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-essex/you-don-t-have-to-spend-a-fortune-to-have-a-good-holiday/) [David Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-essex/) > [No fortune is so good but that you may find something to grumble about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/no-fortune-is-so-good-but-that-you-may-find-something-to-grumble-about/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Friends are much better tried in bad fortune than in good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/friends-are-much-better-tried-in-bad-fortune-than-in-good/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [We ought to give thanks for all fortune: it is is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cs-lewis/we-ought-to-give-thanks-for-all-fortune-it-is-is-good-because-it-is/) [CS Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cs-lewis/) > [Fortune, good night; smile once more, turn thy wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/fortune-good-night-smile-once-more-turn-thy-wheel/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Marilyn French > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Even disasters -- there are always disasters when you travel -- can be turned into adventures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/even-disasters-there-are-always-disasters-when-you-travel-can-be/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“The breakdown of the neighborhoods also meant the end of what was essentially an extended family…With the breakdown of the extended family, too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/the-breakdown-of-the-neighborhoods-also-meant-the-end-of-what-was/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [All men are rapists and that's all they are. They rape us with their eyes, their laws, and their codes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/all-men-are-rapists-and-that-s-all-they-are-they-rape-us-with-their/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [I can only tell you one thing I've learned. Enjoy the walk along the path you've chosen. Don't count down the days. Make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/i-can-only-tell-you-one-thing-i-ve-learned-enjoy-the-walk-along-the/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Control over a woman is the only form of dominance most men possess, for most men are merely subjects of more powerful men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/control-over-a-woman-is-the-only-form-of-dominance-most-men-possess/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Men seem unable to feel equal to women: they must be superior or they are inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/men-seem-unable-to-feel-equal-to-women-they-must-be-superior-or-they/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [All the women I know feel a little like outlaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/all-the-women-i-know-feel-a-little-like-outlaws/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Women are afraid in a world in which almost half the population bears the guise of the predator, in which no factor - age,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/women-are-afraid-in-a-world-in-which-almost-half-the-population-bears/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“She could envision Shakespeare's sister. But she imagined a violent, an apocalyptic end for Shakespeare's sister, whereas I know that isn't what happened. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/she-could-envision-shakespeare-s-sister-but-she-imagined-a-violent-an/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [My goal in life is to change the entire social and economic structure of western civilization, to make it a feminist world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/my-goal-in-life-is-to-change-the-entire-social-and-economic-structure/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [There was no justice, there was only life. And life she had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/there-was-no-justice-there-was-only-life-and-life-she-had/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“All my life I've read that the life of the mind is preeminent, and that it can transcend all bodily degradation. But that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/all-my-life-i-ve-read-that-the-life-of-the-mind-is-preeminent-and/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“and I'd die of his emptiness even more than I'm dying of my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/and-i-d-die-of-his-emptiness-even-more-than-i-m-dying-of-my-own/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Whatever they may be in public life, whatever their relations with men, in their relations with women, all men are rapists and that's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/whatever-they-may-be-in-public-life-whatever-their-relations-with-men/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) [Explore all 84 Marilyn French quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) ## More Both quotes > [Well this is aptly called a junket, for both of us. I have never been to a house of prostitution, but I understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/well-this-is-aptly-called-a-junket-for-both-of-us-i-have-never-been/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [It's almost inevitable there's going to be an escalation on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-luther/it-s-almost-inevitable-there-s-going-to-be-an-escalation-on-both-sides/) [Bill Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-luther/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [I am excited to partner with Aeropostale for my very own collection. It was a great experience to be able to work with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mota/i-am-excited-to-partner-with-aeropostale-for-my-very-own-collection/) [Bethany Mota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mota/) > [I went straight from high school to 'Gossip Girl,' and both were very structured, scheduled environments, so I never had freedom to explore and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/i-went-straight-from-high-school-to-gossip-girl-and-both-were-very/) [Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/) > [My characters in both 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' films were so relatable that every other guy connects with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kartik-aaryan/my-characters-in-both-pyaar-ka-punchnama-films-were-so-relatable-that/) [Kartik Aaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kartik-aaryan/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [Everyone knows that when you go through a divorce, it's a really difficult time for both parties and you've all - you believe, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/everyone-knows-that-when-you-go-through-a-divorce-it-s-a-really/) [Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/) > [The U.S.-China relationship, of course, has elements of both cooperation and competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-donilon/the-u-s-china-relationship-of-course-has-elements-of-both-cooperation/) [Thomas E. Donilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-donilon/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Both my wife and I are optimists and we look at the positives in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fogle/both-my-wife-and-i-are-optimists-and-we-look-at-the-positives-in-life/) [Ben Fogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fogle/) > [I am married to a writer, and this - writing - is an odd enterprise. It's something we both support very strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-am-married-to-a-writer-and-this-writing-is-an-odd-enterprise-it-s/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [But if you listen to great piano players, both classical and jazz, there's a huge range of dynamics and colors and emotional expression that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-burton/but-if-you-listen-to-great-piano-players-both-classical-and-jazz/) [Gary Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-burton/) [Browse all 2,155 Both quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not many men have both good fortune and good sense.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marilyn French" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and-good-sense/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Both" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and-good-sense/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/marilyn-french-8026_both_not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and_3128729.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not many men have both good fortune and good sense.” — Marilyn French", "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": "Marilyn French", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not many men have both good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and-good-sense/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/not-many-men-have-both-good-fortune-and-good-sense/#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 } } ] } ```