--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There prevails among men of letters, an…" description: "\"There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to Women; and that therefore whoever desires to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg" --- # There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all… ![“There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to Women; and that therefore whoever desires to be well received in female assemblies, must qualify himself by a total rejection of all that is serious, rational, or important; must consider…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg) > “There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to Women; and that therefore whoever desires to be well received in female assemblies, must qualify himself by a total rejection of all that is serious, rational, or important; must consider argument or criticism as perpetually interdicted; and devote all his attention to trifles, and all his eloquence to compliment.” [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. Women are portrayed as disliking serious, rational discourse, prompting men to flatter rather than argue. **In simple terms:** Women supposedly dislike serious debate, so men flatter instead. Key Takeaway Respect women’s intellect; avoid stereotypes. Themes gender communication stereotypes Mood critical reflective Type social philosophical When to use this quote - social gatherings - academic settings - writing - public speaking Key Concepts feminism rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - Do you think gender stereotypes affect discourse? - How can we foster respectful dialogue? A Different Perspective Assumes all women share this view, ignoring diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-criticism-2229548/) [Assembly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assembly/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Compliment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticism Perpetually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-perpetually-2229551/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Eloquence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquence/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Hateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hateful/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Particularly Hateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly-hateful-2229549/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Rejection Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection-rational-2229550/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Trifles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trifles/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Of those that spin out trifles and die without a memorial, many flatter themselves with high opinions of their own importance, and imagine that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-those-that-spin-out-trifles-and-die-without-a-memorial-many/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Genius now and then produces a lucky trifle. We still read the Dove of Anacreon, and Sparrow of Catullus; and a writer naturally pleases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/genius-now-and-then-produces-a-lucky-trifle-we-still-read-the-dove-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Ladies, stock and tend your hive, Trifle not at thirty-five; For, howe'er we boast and strive, Life declines from thirty-five; He that ever hopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/ladies-stock-and-tend-your-hive-trifle-not-at-thirty-five-for-howe-er/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Whoever shall review his life, will find that the whole tenor of his conduct has been determined by some accident of no apparent moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/whoever-shall-review-his-life-will-find-that-the-whole-tenor-of-his/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Leisure and curiosity might soon make great advances in useful knowledge, were they not diverted by minute emulation and laborious trifles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/leisure-and-curiosity-might-soon-make-great-advances-in-useful/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [He that resigns his peace to little casualties, and suffers the course of his life to be interrupted for fortuitous inadvertencies or offences, delivers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-resigns-his-peace-to-little-casualties-and-suffers-the-course/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Locke, whom there is no reason to suspect of being a favorer of idleness or libertinism, has advanced that whoever hopes to employ any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/locke-whom-there-is-no-reason-to-suspect-of-being-a-favorer-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [When female minds are embittered by age or solitude, their malignity is generally exerted in a rigorous and spiteful superintendence of domestic trifles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-female-minds-are-embittered-by-age-or-solitude-their-malignity/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No cause more frequently produces bashfulness than too high an opinion of our own importance. He that imagines an assembly filled with his merit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-cause-more-frequently-produces-bashfulness-than-too-high-an/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Depend upon it, sir, it is when you come close to a man in conservation that you discover what his real abilities are; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/depend-upon-it-sir-it-is-when-you-come-close-to-a-man-in-conservation/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Among those whose reputation is exhausted in a short time by its own luxuriance are the writers who take advantage of present incidents or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhausted-in-a-short-time-by-its-own/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Club: An assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/club-an-assembly-of-good-fellows-meeting-under-certain-conditions/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) ## 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 Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [I had a very blessed journey with the upbringing I had. When you're working on sets as a stuntman, you have a firsthand account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-roman-waugh/i-had-a-very-blessed-journey-with-the-upbringing-i-had-when-you-re/) [Ric Roman Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-roman-waugh/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [You've got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they're the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-ve-got-to-exercise-your-health-account-your-bank-account-they-re/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/that-surely-must-be-a-concern-to-anyone-who-decides-this-drug-must-be/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) [Browse all 2,677 Accounts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to Women; and that therefore whoever desires to be well received in female assemblies, must qualify himself by a total rejection of all that is serious, rational, or important; must consider argument or criticism as perpetually interdicted; and devote all his attention to trifles, and all his eloquence to compliment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-opinion-that-all-appearance-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accounts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-opinion-that-all-appearance-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/samuel-johnson-50_accounts_there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-o_1825407.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to…” — 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": "There prevails among men of letters,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-opinion-that-all-appearance-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-prevails-among-men-of-letters-an-opinion-that-all-appearance-of/#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 } } ] } ```