Arrogance Quote by Owen Feltham
“Arrogance is a weed which grows upon a dunghill; it is from the rankness of the soil that she has her height and spreadings: witness, clowns, fools, and fellows, who from nothing, are lifted up some few steps on fortune's ladder: where, seeing the glorious representment of honour above them, they are so eager to embrace it, that they strive to leap thither at once, and by over-reaching themselves in the way, they fail of the end, and fall.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Living, Owen Feltham, 1655
Arrogance grows from lowly origins, lifted briefly by fortune, but overreaching leads to downfall.
In simple terms: Arrogance from humble roots leads to a.
Key Takeaway
Beware overconfidence and its eventual collapse.
Themes
pride
hubris
social hierarchy
fortune
humility
Mood
cautious
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- political ambition
- personal relationships
- public speaking
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
human nature
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What situations justify bold self‑promotion?
- How can confidence be balanced with humility?
A Different Perspective
Arrogance can sometimes be a survival strategy in competitive environments.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
