--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be remarked in passing that…" description: "\"“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd, success wears almost t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/victor-hugo-32_excellence_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_2699716.jpg" --- # It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly… ![“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd, success wears almost the features of true mastery, and the greatest dupe of this counterfeit talent is History.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/victor-hugo-32_excellence_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_2699716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/victor-hugo-32_excellence_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_2699716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/victor-hugo-32_excellence_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_2699716.jpg) > ““It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd, success wears almost the features of true mastery, and the greatest dupe of this counterfeit talent is History.”” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns that success often masquerades as merit, misleading history and the public. **In simple terms:** Success can be deceptive. Key Takeaway Question the true value of achievement. Themes success merit history Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - career planning - education - media analysis Key Concepts philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate true merit? - What role does history play in shaping success? A Different Perspective Success may still bring genuine accomplishment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Counterfeit Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfeit-talent-2724487/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [False Resemblances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-resemblances-2724490/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Passing Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-success-2724489/) [Resemblances Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resemblances-merit-2724488/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-ugly-413576/) ## Related quotes > [Success is an ugly thing. 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The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. 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Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-cannot-all-be-masters-nor-all-masters-cannot-be-truly-followed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) [Philip Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-selznick/) > [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/) [Browse all 4,187 Excellence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. 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