--- 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 resemblences to merit.\" — Victor Hugo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/victor-hugo-32_deceived_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_3137684.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 resemblences to merit.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/victor-hugo-32_deceived_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_3137684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/victor-hugo-32_deceived_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_3137684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/victor-hugo-32_deceived_it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-succe_3137684.jpg) > “It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblences to merit.” [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. Success often appears attractive but can be deceptive, masking lack of true merit. **In simple terms:** Success can be deceptive. Key Takeaway Question appearances, seek true merit. Themes success deception merit appearance illusion Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - career advancement - business leadership - personal ambition - public perception Key Concepts philosophy social critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - What truly defines merit in your life? - How do you differentiate genuine achievement from illusion? A Different Perspective Success may be fleeting and not guarantee lasting fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived/) [False Resemblences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-resemblences-5576058/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-deceived-2906351/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-success-2724489/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Resemblences Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resemblences-merit-5576061/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-ugly-413576/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Ugly things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly-things/) ## Related quotes > [“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-success-is-an-ugly-thing-men-are-2/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/it-may-be-remarked-in-passing-that-success-is-an-ugly-thing-men-are/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit… They confound the brilliance of the firmament with the star-shaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/success-is-an-ugly-thing-men-are-deceived-by-its-false-resemblances/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“We live in the midst of a gloomy society. Success; that is the lesson which falls drop by drop from the slope of corruption.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-live-in-the-midst-of-a-gloomy-society-success-that-is-the-lesson/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Key to the success of ugly leisure is that it keeps those who participate in it in the dark about how little it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-munson-joshua-farris-drake/key-to-the-success-of-ugly-leisure-is-that-it-keeps-those-who/) [Paul Munson & Joshua Farris Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-munson-joshua-farris-drake/) > [Yes, it is the precepts of men versus the revealed word of God. The more we follow the word of God the less we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/yes-it-is-the-precepts-of-men-versus-the-revealed-word-of-god-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [It is necessary for men to be deceived in religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-terentius-varro/it-is-necessary-for-men-to-be-deceived-in-religion/) [Marcus Terentius Varro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-terentius-varro/) > [“It was the men I deceived the most I loved the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/it-was-the-men-i-deceived-the-most-i-loved-the-most/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [It was the men I deceived the most that I loved the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/it-was-the-men-i-deceived-the-most-that-i-loved-the-most/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [I wanted to do a war movie, a western and an alien movie. In reality, there are a lot of ugly things happening in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-eckhart/i-wanted-to-do-a-war-movie-a-western-and-an-alien-movie-in-reality/) [Aaron Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-eckhart/) > [One thing that's certain: around the corner from every ugly thing, there's something really beautiful. If we stop at every bitter interaction; we'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/one-thing-that-s-certain-around-the-corner-from-every-ugly-thing/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [It's the ugly things I notice more, because other people tend to ignore the ugly things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mcqueen/it-s-the-ugly-things-i-notice-more-because-other-people-tend-to/) [Alexander McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mcqueen/) > [I have let go of ugly things that have happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubina-dilaik/i-have-let-go-of-ugly-things-that-have-happened-to-me/) [Rubina Dilaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubina-dilaik/) > [Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/beautiful-objects-are-wrought-by-study-through-effort-but-ugly-things/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [A lot of my work is intelligent, a lot of the work is beautiful, but I make ugly things, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-wanders/a-lot-of-my-work-is-intelligent-a-lot-of-the-work-is-beautiful-but-i/) [Marcel Wanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-wanders/) ## 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. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Deceived quotes > [You have been deceived by your own cold heart - a curse upon your house and all within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/you-have-been-deceived-by-your-own-cold-heart-a-curse-upon-your-house/) [Beauty And The Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beauty-and-the-beast/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [If we could imagine such a man, that is a man who could invent the fly and send him out on his mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-we-could-imagine-such-a-man-that-is-a-man-who-could-invent-the-fly/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Mundus vult decipi: the world wants to be deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/mundus-vult-decipi-the-world-wants-to-be-deceived/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [When self-interest inclines a man to print, he should consider that the purchaser expects a pennyworth for his penny, and has reason to asperse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/when-self-interest-inclines-a-man-to-print-he-should-consider-that/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Self-deceit is a sure defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/self-deceit-is-a-sure-defeat/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We no longer need to beg or plead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/we-have-been-deceived-into-believing-prayer-is-all-about-persuading/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [In the long run it makes little difference how cleverly others are deceived; if we are not doing what we are best equipped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-brande/in-the-long-run-it-makes-little-difference-how-cleverly-others-are/) [Dorothea Brande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-brande/) > [The man who while he gives thinks of what he will get in return, deserves to be deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-man-who-while-he-gives-thinks-of-what-he-will-get-in-return/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“The marquis de Carabas was not a good man, and he knew himself well enough to be perfectly certain that he was not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-marquis-de-carabas-was-not-a-good-man-and-he-knew-himself-well/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 605 Deceived quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived/) ```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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