--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marriage is the best state for man in…" description: "\"Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every man is a worst man in proportion to the level he is unfit for marriage.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png" --- # Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every… ![“Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every man is a worst man in proportion to the level he is unfit for marriage.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png) > “Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every man is a worst man in proportion to the level he is unfit for marriage.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marriage often reveals a man's flaws; his suitability for marriage determines how much he falls short of his ideal. **In simple terms:** Marriage shows a man's worst traits proportionally. Key Takeaway Reflect on personal readiness for commitment. Themes marriage human nature self‑awareness Mood critical reflective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - relationship counseling - self‑assessment - marital expectations Key Concepts virtue compatibility personal growth Questions to Reflect On - Are you aware of your own limitations in relationships? - What steps can you take to improve? A Different Perspective Idealized marriage may overlook practical compatibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Man General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-general-2785272/) [Man Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-worst-231938/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-best-1185134/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportion/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Unfit Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfit-marriage-2785271/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-man-615051/) ## Related quotes > [But I think it is hardly an argument against a man's general strength of character, that he should be apt to be mastered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-i-think-it-is-hardly-an-argument-against-a-man-s-general-strength/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with - a man is what he makes of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/a-man-as-a-general-rule-owes-very-little-to-what-he-is-born-with-a/) [Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/) > [Man in general, if reduced to himself, is too wicked to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/man-in-general-if-reduced-to-himself-is-too-wicked-to-be-free/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [Marriage is our last, best chance to grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barth/marriage-is-our-last-best-chance-to-grow-up/) [Joseph Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barth/) > [I think the key to marriage is find your best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-think-the-key-to-marriage-is-find-your-best-friend/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [“Marriage is the best place to express love and, enjoy well-being and contentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/marriage-is-the-best-place-to-express-love-and-enjoy-well-being-and/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [Marriage is the best of all evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daliah-lavi/marriage-is-the-best-of-all-evils/) [Daliah Lavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daliah-lavi/) > [In marriage, it's best to keep perspective. Get out of your head and get some perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/in-marriage-it-s-best-to-keep-perspective-get-out-of-your-head-and/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [To me, Steve was my Prince Charming. He was my happily ever after, and we got that. We got 14 years of marriage; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-irwin/to-me-steve-was-my-prince-charming-he-was-my-happily-ever-after-and/) [Terri Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-irwin/) > [Marriage, even the best marriages are tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-meadows/marriage-even-the-best-marriages-are-tough/) [Jayne Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-meadows/) > [For marriage the best man is the man within oneself. Most women need to develop their own 'masculine' qualities of independence, pride, courage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/for-marriage-the-best-man-is-the-man-within-oneself-most-women-need/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [Marriage is the best compromise between nature and culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruman-archunan/marriage-is-the-best-compromise-between-nature-and-culture/) [Thiruman Archunan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruman-archunan/) > [Motherhood and marriage are the best bits of my life now. Who would have thought I would be enjoying that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-loos/motherhood-and-marriage-are-the-best-bits-of-my-life-now-who-would/) [Rebecca Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-loos/) > [In our world marriage was the best option for any woman. No girl ever chose to have a career unless she couldn't get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-colin-campbell/in-our-world-marriage-was-the-best-option-for-any-woman-no-girl-ever/) [Lady Colin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-colin-campbell/) > [“Worst is man who abandons himself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-gupta/worst-is-man-who-abandons-himself/) [Amit Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-gupta/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## 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. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every man is a worst man in proportion to the level he is unfit for marriage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-general-and-every-man-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-general-and-every-man-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/samuel-johnson-50_character_marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-ge_1898276.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Marriage is the best state for man in general, and every man is a worst man in proportion to the level he is…” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Marriage is the best state for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-general-and-every-man-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/marriage-is-the-best-state-for-man-in-general-and-every-man-is-a/#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 } } ] } ```