--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An ingenious mind feels in unmerited…" description: "\"An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.\" — Walter Savage Landor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png" --- # An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest… ![“An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.” quote by Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png) > “An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.” [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑praise can be a harsh self‑critique, revealing deeper insecurity. **In simple terms:** Praise can hide self‑doubt. Key Takeaway Balance confidence with humility. Themes self-esteem criticism insecurity Mood reflective analytical Type psychological advice When to use this quote - personal journaling - performance reviews - public speaking - team feedback - coaching sessions Key Concepts self-awareness psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes praise ourselves? - How can we accept praise without doubt? A Different Perspective Self‑praise may be genuine in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitterest Reproof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterest-reproof-677898/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Feels Unmerited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels-unmerited-677899/) [Ingenious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingenious/) [Ingenious Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingenious-mind-2603100/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praise Bitterest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-bitterest-4655126/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reproof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproof/) [Unmerited Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unmerited-praise-677897/) ## Related quotes > [An ingenuous mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenuous-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [An ingenuous mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof. If you reject it you are unhappy, if you accept it you are undone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenuous-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof-if/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [There is hardly anything that an ingenious mind cannot bring itself to doubt, granted sufficient industry and application.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-noyes-hart/there-is-hardly-anything-that-an-ingenious-mind-cannot-bring-itself/) [Frances Noyes Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-noyes-hart/) > [“Do you think that if one day the ingenious heart of man could invent a form of burial universally pleasing, or the ingenious mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-nehra/do-you-think-that-if-one-day-the-ingenious-heart-of-man-could-invent/) [Arvind Nehra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-nehra/) > [Unjust attacks on public men do them more good than unmerited praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/unjust-attacks-on-public-men-do-them-more-good-than-unmerited-praise/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Unmerited abuse wounds, while unmerited praise has not the power to heal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/unmerited-abuse-wounds-while-unmerited-praise-has-not-the-power-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Harsh reproof is like a violent storm, soon washed down the channel; but friendly admonitions, like a small shower, pierce deep, and bring forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-chamberlain/harsh-reproof-is-like-a-violent-storm-soon-washed-down-the-channel/) [Roger Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-chamberlain/) > [Some persons take reproof good-humoredly enough, unless you are so unlucky as to hit a sore place. Then they wince and writhe, and start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/some-persons-take-reproof-good-humoredly-enough-unless-you-are-so/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults for which he is corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/to-be-pleased-at-correction-and-reproofs-shows-that-one-loves-the/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [The pastoral labours of the archbishop of Constantinople provoked and gradually united against him two sorts of enemies; the aspiring clergy, who envied his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-pastoral-labours-of-the-archbishop-of-constantinople-provoked-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [I would prefer a thousand times to receive reproofs than to give them to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/i-would-prefer-a-thousand-times-to-receive-reproofs-than-to-give-them/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [Fear not the anger of the wise to raise; Those best can bear reproof who merit praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/fear-not-the-anger-of-the-wise-to-raise-those-best-can-bear-reproof/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort Courteous; the second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/can-you-nominate-in-order-now-the-degrees-of-the-lie-i-will-name-you/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The life of a good man is at the same time the most eloquent lesson of virtue and the most severe reproof of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-life-of-a-good-man-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-eloquent-lesson/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Reproof should not exhaust its power upon petty failings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/reproof-should-not-exhaust-its-power-upon-petty-failings/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Walter Savage Landor > [Nations, like individuals, interest us in their growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/nations-like-individuals-interest-us-in-their-growth/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Ah what avails the sceptred race, Ah what the form divine! What every virtue, every grace! Rose Aylmer, all were thine. Rose Aylmer, whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/ah-what-avails-the-sceptred-race-ah-what-the-form-divine-what-every/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [A solitude is the audience-chamber of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/a-solitude-is-the-audience-chamber-of-god/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [No ashes are lighter than those of incense, and few things burn out sooner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/no-ashes-are-lighter-than-those-of-incense-and-few-things-burn-out/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [As there are some flowers which you should smell but slightly to extract all that is pleasant in them ... so there are some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/as-there-are-some-flowers-which-you-should-smell-but-slightly-to/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [We talk on principle, but we act on interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/we-talk-on-principle-but-we-act-on-interest/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [States, like men, have their growth, their manhood, their decrepitude, their decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/states-like-men-have-their-growth-their-manhood-their-decrepitude/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The only effect of public punishment is to show the rabble how bravely it can be borne; and that every one who hath lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-only-effect-of-public-punishment-is-to-show-the-rabble-how/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Every great writer is a writer of history, let him treat on almost what subject he may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/every-great-writer-is-a-writer-of-history-let-him-treat-on-almost/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [I strove with none; for none was worth my strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/i-strove-with-none-for-none-was-worth-my-strife/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The habit of pleasing by flattery makes a language soft; the fear of offending by truth makes it circuitous and conventional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-habit-of-pleasing-by-flattery-makes-a-language-soft-the-fear-of/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [There is no eloquence which does not agitate the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/there-is-no-eloquence-which-does-not-agitate-the-soul/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [We care not how many see us in choler, when we rave and bluster, and make as much noise and bustle as we can;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/we-care-not-how-many-see-us-in-choler-when-we-rave-and-bluster-and/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Whatever is worthy to be loved for anything is worthy of preservation. A wise and dispassionate legislator, if any such should ever arise among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/whatever-is-worthy-to-be-loved-for-anything-is-worthy-of-preservation/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The present, like a note in music, is nothing but as it appertains to what is past and what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-present-like-a-note-in-music-is-nothing-but-as-it-appertains-to/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) [Explore all 245 Walter Savage Landor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Savage Landor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/walter-savage-landor-1404_criticism_an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-pra_1360737.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.” — Walter Savage Landor", "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 Savage Landor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An ingenious mind feels in unmerited...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/an-ingenious-mind-feels-in-unmerited-praise-the-bitterest-reproof/#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 } } ] } ```