--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A professional man of letters, especially…" description: "\"A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enemies, is naturally jealous of his privacy; he will be silent on his..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg" --- # A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at… ![“A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enemies, is naturally jealous of his privacy; he will be silent on his more personal interests, or, if he must speak, will veil them under conventional forms.” quote by Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg) > “A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enemies, is naturally jealous of his privacy; he will be silent on his more personal interests, or, if he must speak, will veil them under conventional forms.” [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote observes that writers often guard their privacy and conceal personal interests behind formal language, especially when facing hostile opponents. **In simple terms:** Writers hide personal life behind formal writing. Key Takeaway Protect privacy while communicating professionally. Themes privacy literature politics Mood cautious analytical Type advice literary When to use this quote - personal - political intrigue - media relations Key Concepts selfcensorship defensiveness public persona Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance honesty with safety? - What strategies protect personal interests in hostile environments? A Different Perspective Privacy concerns may limit authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enenemies, is naturally jealous of his privacy... so it was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-professional-man-of-letters-especially-if-he-is-much-at-war-with-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I shall never write an autobiography, I'm much too jealous of my privacy for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-shall-never-write-an-autobiography-i-m-much-too-jealous-of-my/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [He made enemies as naturally as soap makes suds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-wilde/he-made-enemies-as-naturally-as-soap-makes-suds/) Percival Wilde > [My idea is this, that when you only love a little you’re naturally not jealous-or are only jealous also a little, so that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/my-idea-is-this-that-when-you-only-love-a-little-you-re-naturally-not-2/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [I am a mortal enemy to arbitrary government and unlimited power. I am naturally very jealous for the rights and liberties of my country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-am-a-mortal-enemy-to-arbitrary-government-and-unlimited-power-i-am/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [My idea is this, that when you only love a little you're naturally not jealous — or are only jealous also a little, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/my-idea-is-this-that-when-you-only-love-a-little-you-re-naturally-not/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Everyone in their life has his own particular way of expressing life's purpose - the lawyer his eloquence, the painter his palette, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-bartali/everyone-in-their-life-has-his-own-particular-way-of-expressing-life/) Gino Bartali > [“The contents of a man's letters are more valuable than the contents of his purse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-contents-of-a-man-s-letters-are-more-valuable-than-the-contents/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [You must not suppose, because I am a man of letters, that I never tried to earn an honest living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-must-not-suppose-because-i-am-a-man-of-letters-that-i-never-tried/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man of letters never objects to a slum. He sharpens his pen there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-moore/a-man-of-letters-never-objects-to-a-slum-he-sharpens-his-pen-there/) [George A. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-moore/) > [Bierce radiates brilliancy, and perhaps no other man of letters ever had a more ready command of condensed expression. For him, each word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/bierce-radiates-brilliancy-and-perhaps-no-other-man-of-letters-ever/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [“I transcribe my text with no concern for timeliness. In the years when I discovered the Abbé Vallet volume, there was a widespread conviction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-transcribe-my-text-with-no-concern-for-timeliness-in-the-years-when/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [In a man’s letters his soul lies naked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-a-man-s-letters-his-soul-lies-naked/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A man of letters, merely by reading a phrase, can estimate exactly the literary merit of its author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/a-man-of-letters-merely-by-reading-a-phrase-can-estimate-exactly-the/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [The man of science, like the man of letters, is too apt to view mankind only in the abstract, selecting in his consideration only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-g-frazer/the-man-of-science-like-the-man-of-letters-is-too-apt-to-view-mankind/) [James G. Frazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-g-frazer/) ## More by Walter Raleigh > [ \[It is a basic principle of a tyrant\] to unarm his people of weapons, money and all means whereby they resist his power. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/it-is-a-basic-principle-of-a-tyrant-to-unarm-his-people-of-weapons/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/but-it-is-hard-to-know-them-from-friends-they-are-so-obsequious-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Flatterers are the worst kind of traitors, for they will strengthen thy imperfections, encourage thee in all evils, correct thee in nothing, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/flatterers-are-the-worst-kind-of-traitors-for-they-will-strengthen/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Expressive glances Shall be our lances And pops of Sillery Our light artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/expressive-glances-shall-be-our-lances-and-pops-of-sillery-our-light/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [The world is itself but a larger prison, out of which some are daily selected for execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/the-world-is-itself-but-a-larger-prison-out-of-which-some-are-daily/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Whosoever, in writing a modern history, shall follow truth too near the heels, it may happily strike out his teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/whosoever-in-writing-a-modern-history-shall-follow-truth-too-near-the/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Fain would I, but I dare not; I dare, and yet I may not; I may, although I care not, for pleasure when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/fain-would-i-but-i-dare-not-i-dare-and-yet-i-may-not-i-may-although-i/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [And when I'm introduced to one I wish I thought What Jolly Fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/and-when-i-m-introduced-to-one-i-wish-i-thought-what-jolly-fun/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [The gain of lying is nothing else but not to be trusted of any, nor to be believed when we say the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/the-gain-of-lying-is-nothing-else-but-not-to-be-trusted-of-any-nor-to/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [An anthology is like all the plums and orange peel picked out of a cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/an-anthology-is-like-all-the-plums-and-orange-peel-picked-out-of-a/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Corrupt seeds bring forth corrupt plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/corrupt-seeds-bring-forth-corrupt-plants/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [No one can take less pains than to hold his tongue. Hear much, and speak little; for the tongue is the instrument of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/no-one-can-take-less-pains-than-to-hold-his-tongue-hear-much-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [In a word, we may gather out of History a policy no less wise than I eternal; by the comparison and application of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/in-a-word-we-may-gather-out-of-history-a-policy-no-less-wise-than-i/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Romance is a love affair in other than domestic surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/romance-is-a-love-affair-in-other-than-domestic-surroundings/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Hath triumphed over time, which besides it nothing but eternity hath triumphed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/hath-triumphed-over-time-which-besides-it-nothing-but-eternity-hath/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) [Explore all 116 Walter Raleigh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) ## More Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [As president, things that you're supposed to focus on, things like the economy, like energy policy, which is completely tied to national security, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/as-president-things-that-you-re-supposed-to-focus-on-things-like-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) [Browse all 6,947 Cybersecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enemies, is naturally jealous of his privacy; he will be silent on his more personal interests, or, if he must speak, will veil them under conventional forms.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Raleigh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/a-professional-man-of-letters-especially-if-he-is-much-at-war-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cybersecurity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/a-professional-man-of-letters-especially-if-he-is-much-at-war-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/walter-raleigh-4068_cybersecurity_a-professional-man-of-letters-especially_936610.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A professional man of letters, especially if he is much at war with unscrupulous enemies, is naturally…” — Walter Raleigh", "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": "Walter Raleigh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A professional man of letters, especially...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/a-professional-man-of-letters-especially-if-he-is-much-at-war-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/a-professional-man-of-letters-especially-if-he-is-much-at-war-with/#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 } } ] } ```