--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only the superficial qualities that…" description: "\"It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-is-only-the-superficial-qualities-tha_247925.jpg" --- # It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's… ![“It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-is-only-the-superficial-qualities-tha_247925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-is-only-the-superficial-qualities-tha_247925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-is-only-the-superficial-qualities-tha_247925.jpg) > “It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surface traits may endure, but true character eventually reveals itself. **In simple terms:** Appearances fade; character persists. Key Takeaway Look beyond the surface. Themes appearance character truth Mood reflective thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - career - leadership - personal growth Key Concepts human nature authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you judge character? - When have you misread someone? A Different Perspective Superficial impressions can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeper/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Man Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-deeper-2472415/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities/) [Qualities Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities-man-848162/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Superficial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial/) [Superficial Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial-qualities-2472414/) ## Related quotes > [I am very subtle; but Man is deeper in his thought than I am. The woman knows that there is no such thing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-am-very-subtle-but-man-is-deeper-in-his-thought-than-i-am-the-woman/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The qualities which a man seeks in his beloved are those characteristics of his own soul, whether he knows it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-qualities-which-a-man-seeks-in-his-beloved-are-those/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Whatever be the qualities of the man with whom a woman is united according to the law, such qualities even she assumes, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/whatever-be-the-qualities-of-the-man-with-whom-a-woman-is-united/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [“What qualities are there for which a man gets so speedy a return of applause, as those of bodily superiority, activity, and valour? Time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/what-qualities-are-there-for-which-a-man-gets-so-speedy-a-return-of/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“...there’s few on Earth as can cut a man deeper than his childless wife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-russell/there-s-few-on-earth-as-can-cut-a-man-deeper-than-his-childless-wife/) [Craig Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-russell/) > [“She had the habit of making up virtuous qualities in a man to support her attraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-had-the-habit-of-making-up-virtuous-qualities-in-a-man-to-support/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True love does not paralyze, but doubles the high qualities of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-ebers/true-love-does-not-paralyze-but-doubles-the-high-qualities-of-man/) [Georg Ebers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-ebers/) > [The qualities that get a man into power are not those that lead him, once established, to use power wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-bryson/the-qualities-that-get-a-man-into-power-are-not-those-that-lead-him/) [Lyman Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-bryson/) > [What is natural in me, is natural in many other men, I infer, and so I am not afraid to write that I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-is-natural-in-me-is-natural-in-many-other-men-i-infer-and-so-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“One of the most widespread superstitions is that every man has his own special, definite qualities; that a man is kind, cruel, wise, stupid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-of-the-most-widespread-superstitions-is-that-every-man-has-his/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The man and the woman are not really two separate entities, but the personality of the man needs the supporting qualities of the woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-man-and-the-woman-are-not-really-two-separate-entities-but-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [He was too good to be Where ill men were, and was the best of all Amongst the rar'st of good ones- sitting sadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/he-was-too-good-to-be-where-ill-men-were-and-was-the-best-of-all/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is the duty of a great person so to demean himself, as that whatever endowments he may have, he may appear to value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steele/it-is-the-duty-of-a-great-person-so-to-demean-himself-as-that/) [Richard Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-steele/) > [All the qualities of a man acquire dignity when he knows that the service of the collectivity that owns him needs them. If proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/all-the-qualities-of-a-man-acquire-dignity-when-he-knows-that-the/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [It is obvious that the best qualities in man must atrophy in a standing-room-only environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/it-is-obvious-that-the-best-qualities-in-man-must-atrophy-in-a/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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