--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find no quality so easy for a man to…" description: "\"I find no quality so easy for a man to counterfeit as devotion, though his life and manner are not conformable to it; the essence of it is abstruse and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/michel-de-montaigne-142_appearance_i-find-no-quality-so-easy-for-a-man-to-c_1729610.jpg" --- # I find no quality so easy for a man to counterfeit as… ![“I find no quality so easy for a man to counterfeit as devotion, though his life and manner are not conformable to it; the essence of it is abstruse and occult, but the appearances easy and showy.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/michel-de-montaigne-142_appearance_i-find-no-quality-so-easy-for-a-man-to-c_1729610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/michel-de-montaigne-142_appearance_i-find-no-quality-so-easy-for-a-man-to-c_1729610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/michel-de-montaigne-142_appearance_i-find-no-quality-so-easy-for-a-man-to-c_1729610.jpg) > “I find no quality so easy for a man to counterfeit as devotion, though his life and manner are not conformable to it; the essence of it is abstruse and occult, but the appearances easy and showy.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Devotion can be feigned easily, but true inner commitment is hidden and complex, while outward displays may be superficial. **In simple terms:** Fake devotion is easy; true devotion is hidden. Key Takeaway Beware superficial displays of loyalty. Themes faith authenticity hypocrisy Mood skeptical reflective Type aphilosophical critical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - religious practice - political allegiance Key Concepts philosophy human nature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you discern genuine devotion from mere performance? - What signs reveal hidden sincerity? A Different Perspective True devotion requires consistency between inner belief and outward behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Appearances Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearances-easy-1417029/) [Conformable Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformable-essence-1417028/) [Counterfeit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfeit/) [Counterfeit Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfeit-devotion-1417026/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man Counterfeit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-counterfeit-1417027/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Occult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occult/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Showy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showy/) ## Related quotes > [Our truth of nowadays is not what is, but what others can be convinced of; just as we call "money" not only that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/our-truth-of-nowadays-is-not-what-is-but-what-others-can-be-convinced/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Some believers tend to forget God's persistent faithfulness in the face of the spectacular and showy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/some-believers-tend-to-forget-god-s-persistent-faithfulness-in-the/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [Does such a thing as "the fatal flaw," that showy dark crack running down the middle of a life, exist outside literature?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/does-such-a-thing-as-the-fatal-flaw-that-showy-dark-crack-running/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Other times you can get showy for three minutes, and that's OK with certain films. 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The legend children fear will devour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/you-arrogant-overpublicized-showy-old-bat-what-are-you-waiting-for/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Some ghosts tried to be showy. These were the kinds to avoid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-howarth/some-ghosts-tried-to-be-showy-these-were-the-kinds-to-avoid/) [Lesley Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-howarth/) > [Showy displays of love don't come naturally to everyone. They don't come naturally to me. They also come with a risk: a risk of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-flock/showy-displays-of-love-don-t-come-naturally-to-everyone-they-don-t/) [Elizabeth Flock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-flock/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. 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