--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man wants a mystery, it is…" description: "\"When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.\" — Philippa Gregory" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png" --- # When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to… ![“When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.” quote by Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png) > “When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.” [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mystery thrives on uncertainty; cleverness is undervalued in love **In simple terms:** People enjoy being mystified; clever women are misunderstood Key Takeaway Embrace mystery, value intellect Themes mystery gender relationships Mood intriguing critical Type literary social When to use this quote - romantic pursuits - career advancement - personal branding Key Concepts literature social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Why do we fear being left in the dark? - How does gender bias affect perceptions of intelligence? A Different Perspective Not everyone appreciates cleverness; some prefer simplicity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-love/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Clever woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-woman/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Leave Mystified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-mystified-1696087/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Mystery Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery-generally-1696086/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wants Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants-mystery-1696085/) ## Related quotes > [Where there is mystery, it is generally suspected there must also be evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/where-there-is-mystery-it-is-generally-suspected-there-must-also-be/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Remember: a clever woman never lets a man know how cleaver she is”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-downer/remember-a-clever-woman-never-lets-a-man-know-how-cleaver-she-is/) [Lesley Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-downer/) > [My wife is a very clever woman. She knows when to say something and when to bite her tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-d-acampo/my-wife-is-a-very-clever-woman-she-knows-when-to-say-something-and/) [Gino D'Acampo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gino-d-acampo/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Do you really not know that to praise a woman's mind is to abuse her? Is everyone not convinced that where there's cleverness there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pavlova/do-you-really-not-know-that-to-praise-a-woman-s-mind-is-to-abuse-her/) [Karolina Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pavlova/) > [The silliest woman can manage a clever man; but it needs a very clever woman to manage a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/the-silliest-woman-can-manage-a-clever-man-but-it-needs-a-very-clever/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Catherine was clever, but even a clever woman misses some of the strange corridors in a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/catherine-was-clever-but-even-a-clever-woman-misses-some-of-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Then says Mrs. Hauksbee to me – she looked a trifle faded and jaded in the lamplight: “Take my word for it, the silliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/then-says-mrs-hauksbee-to-me-she-looked-a-trifle-faded-and-jaded-in/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Good women are rarely clever and clever women are rarely good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adah-isaacs-menken/good-women-are-rarely-clever-and-clever-women-are-rarely-good/) [Adah Isaacs Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adah-isaacs-menken/) > [“For the male sickness of self-contempt, the surest cure is to be loved by a clever woman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/for-the-male-sickness-of-self-contempt-the-surest-cure-is-to-be-loved/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The surest aid in combating the male's disease of self-contempt is to be loved by a clever woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-surest-aid-in-combating-the-male-s-disease-of-self-contempt-is-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [the world is not always kind to a clever woman even when she is visibly known to be earning her own living. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/the-world-is-not-always-kind-to-a-clever-woman-even-when-she-is/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [“You'll be happy if you'll remember that men don't change much. Women do. Women adapt themselves, and if you think that means they lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cadell/you-ll-be-happy-if-you-ll-remember-that-men-don-t-change-much-women/) [Elizabeth Cadell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cadell/) > [“Stick to the needle, learn shirt-making and gown-making and piecrust-making, and you will be a clever woman some day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/stick-to-the-needle-learn-shirt-making-and-gown-making-and-piecrust/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“shook hands very cordially; and yet I always feel him shrinking sensitively from me, as a woman, a clever woman, an up to date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/shook-hands-very-cordially-and-yet-i-always-feel-him-shrinking/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Philippa Gregory > [“Mother, before God," I say, my voice shaking with tears, "I swear that I have to believe that there is more for me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/mother-before-god-i-say-my-voice-shaking-with-tears-i-swear-that-i/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Say yes,’ he whispers. ‘Marry me.’ I hesitate. I open my eyes. ‘You will get my fortune,’ I remark. ‘When I marry you, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/say-yes-he-whispers-marry-me-i-hesitate-i-open-my-eyes-you-will-get/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“But I warn you that a woman who seeks great power and wealth has to pay a great price, Perhaps you will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/but-i-warn-you-that-a-woman-who-seeks-great-power-and-wealth-has-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I raised my hand to wave in case he looked back; but he did not. He rode straight backed, looking forward. He rode like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-raised-my-hand-to-wave-in-case-he-looked-back-but-he-did-not-he/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“When you are still and thoughtful you are as lovely as the statues they are carving in Italy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-are-still-and-thoughtful-you-are-as-lovely-as-the-statues/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Edward lives as if there is no tomorrow, Richard as if he wants no tomorrow, and George as though someone should give it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/edward-lives-as-if-there-is-no-tomorrow-richard-as-if-he-wants-no/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [You can smile when your heart is breaking because you're a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-can-smile-when-your-heart-is-breaking-because-you-re-a-woman/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [En Ma Fin Est Ma Commencement - In my end is my beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/en-ma-fin-est-ma-commencement-in-my-end-is-my-beginning/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“One little boy, and he a bastard,' Anne said thoughtfully. 'One little girl of six, one elderly Queen and a King in the prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/one-little-boy-and-he-a-bastard-anne-said-thoughtfully-one-little/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We have been married little more than a year and already there is a terrible silence around some subjects. We never speak of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-have-been-married-little-more-than-a-year-and-already-there-is-a/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“It doesn’t matter if you call it magic or determination. It doesn’t matter if you make a spell or a plot. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-call-it-magic-or-determination-it-doesn-t/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“You are my heart. Even if you are a broken heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-are-my-heart-even-if-you-are-a-broken-heart/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I have overturned the order. Nothing will ever be the same for any woman in this country again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-have-overturned-the-order-nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-for-any/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I will make my own future, not predict it. I don’t need a charm to tell me what I hope will happen. I throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-will-make-my-own-future-not-predict-it-i-don-t-need-a-charm-to-tell/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Explore all 408 Philippa Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## More Body love quotes > [When everybody loves you, that's just about as funky as you can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/counting-crows/when-everybody-loves-you-that-s-just-about-as-funky-as-you-can-be/) [Counting Crows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/counting-crows/) > [“Before we can make seismic professional, economic, and sociological changes, we have to squeeze out of our Spanx and remember how it feels to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-hays-coomer/before-we-can-make-seismic-professional-economic-and-sociological/) [Sarah Hays Coomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-hays-coomer/) > [Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everybody-loves-to-talk-about-calmness-and-peace-whether-in-a-family/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In Germany, I was always the best, everybody loved me and then they think: 'OK, he comes to England, now he can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-havertz/in-germany-i-was-always-the-best-everybody-loved-me-and-then-they/) [Kai Havertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-havertz/) > [“Can I tell you a boring science fact?" she whispered. "I bet you didn't learn it in Shadowhunter history class." "If you're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/can-i-tell-you-a-boring-science-fact-she-whispered-i-bet-you-didn-t/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“You would have to be loved before you could be changed by it,” she added. “And I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-g-harlen/you-would-have-to-be-loved-before-you-could-be-changed-by-it-she/) [B.G. Harlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-g-harlen/) > [“How To Tell If Somebody Loves You: Somebody loves you if they pick an eyelash off of your face or wet a napkin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-o-connell/how-to-tell-if-somebody-loves-you-somebody-loves-you-if-they-pick-an/) [Ryan O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-o-connell/) > [Everybody loves to spend money at least some of the time - because everybody loves the stuff you can buy with it. The key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/everybody-loves-to-spend-money-at-least-some-of-the-time-because/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [You have to create love and affection for your body, for what it can do for you. Love must be incarnated in the smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/you-have-to-create-love-and-affection-for-your-body-for-what-it-can/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Bob Altman had this relaxed but serious attitude. Everybody loved him. I wanted him to adopt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/bob-altman-had-this-relaxed-but-serious-attitude-everybody-loved-him/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [It seems like thin people should not be running around dissing overweight people, and overweight people should not be running around dissing thinner people...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/it-seems-like-thin-people-should-not-be-running-around-dissing/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [I remember being a kid and praying in the hell of my house to have somebody love me and somebody that I could love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-praying-in-the-hell-of-my-house-to-have/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [I was excellent. Everybody loved me. I love myself, and I like bums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/i-was-excellent-everybody-loved-me-i-love-myself-and-i-like-bums/) [Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/) [Browse all 534 Body love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philippa Gregory" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-generally-better-to-leave-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-generally-better-to-leave-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/philippa-gregory-674_body-love_when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-general_152823.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.” — Philippa Gregory", "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": "Philippa Gregory", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a man wants a mystery,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-generally-better-to-leave-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-a-man-wants-a-mystery-it-is-generally-better-to-leave-him/#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 } } ] } ```