---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Their charms, Sir John, I shall discover…"
description: "\"Their charms, Sir John, I shall discover, I have no doubt, when dinner's over; At present, if to judge I'm able, The finest works are on the table: I s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/william-combe-286883_charm_their-charms-sir-john-i-shall-discover-i_1910834.jpg"
---

#  Their charms, Sir John, I shall discover, I have no doubt…

![“Their charms, Sir John, I shall discover, I have no doubt, when dinner's over; At present, if to judge I'm able, The finest works are on the table: I should prefer the cook just now, To Rubens or to Gerrard Dow” quote by William Combe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/william-combe-286883_charm_their-charms-sir-john-i-shall-discover-i_1910834.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/william-combe-286883_charm_their-charms-sir-john-i-shall-discover-i_1910834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/william-combe-286883_charm_their-charms-sir-john-i-shall-discover-i_1910834.jpg)

> “Their charms, Sir John, I shall discover, I have no doubt, when dinner's over; At present, if to judge I'm able, The finest works are on the table: I should prefer the cook just now, To Rubens or to Gerrard Dow”

[William Combe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-combe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Choosing the best work requires discernment; the cook’s skill is valued over famous names.

**In simple terms:** Prefer skill over fame.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize quality craftsmanship.

Themes

art choice skill fame culinary

Mood

playful thoughtful

Type

Charm:0 Dinner:0 Food:0 Work:0 Just Rubens:0 Rubens Gerrard:0 Table Prefer:0 Prefer Cook:0

When to use this quote

- restaurant reviews
- art criticism

Key Concepts

aesthetic judgment value assessment creative preference

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we balance reputation and actual skill?
- When is it okay to trust a known name?

A Different Perspective

counterpoint: fame can indicate quality

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Charm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/) [Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Just Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-rubens-2876837/) [Prefer Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-cook-2876840/) [Rubens Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubens-gerrard-2876838/) [Table Prefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/table-prefer-2876839/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

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[Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/)

> [I'd prefer to cook for friends at home than go to a restaurant. My mum is a feeder and I get it from her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-worsley/i-d-prefer-to-cook-for-friends-at-home-than-go-to-a-restaurant-my-mum/)

[Lucy Worsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-worsley/)

> [Maybe I’m old, but to me, ‘going out’ means going out to dinner. It’s about the conversation: someone recognizing your intellect, the charm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/maybe-i-m-old-but-to-me-going-out-means-going-out-to-dinner-it-s/)

[Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/)

> [“Never trust charm, it's the most powerful weapon in the devil's armory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gilbert/never-trust-charm-it-s-the-most-powerful-weapon-in-the-devil-s-armory/)

[Anthony Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gilbert/)

> [Criticism even should not be without its charms. When quite devoid of all amenities, it is no longer literary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/criticism-even-should-not-be-without-its-charms-when-quite-devoid-of/)

[Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/)

> [Even after marrying Mallika, I feel that I am her boyfriend. In fact, I believe this feeling enhances the charm and fun of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayed-khan/even-after-marrying-mallika-i-feel-that-i-am-her-boyfriend-in-fact-i/)

[Zayed Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayed-khan/)

> [“It's a part of life. You never know what you are going to get; you just have to be strong enough to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-hill/it-s-a-part-of-life-you-never-know-what-you-are-going-to-get-you-just/)

[Melissa Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-hill/)

> [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [I don't know that I'm a free spirit or anything like that. I just have my own way of doing things. That's the charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-schultz/i-don-t-know-that-i-m-a-free-spirit-or-anything-like-that-i-just-have/)

[Dave Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-schultz/)

> [Every woman has the instinct, the propensity to profit from her charms, and there's a lot to be said for giving oneself without love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/every-woman-has-the-instinct-the-propensity-to-profit-from-her-charms/)

[Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/)

> [I'm an old school guy and love the guys in the monster suits and JAWS; even though everyone makes fun of the shark I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-m-an-old-school-guy-and-love-the-guys-in-the-monster-suits-and-jaws/)

[Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/)

> [Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/talk-health-the-dreary-never-changing-tale-of-mortal-maladies-is-worn/)

[Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/)

> [Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-herford/modesty-is-the-gentle-art-of-enhancing-your-charm-by-pretending-not/)

[Oliver Herford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-herford/)

> [Every woman thinks herself attractive; even the plainest is satisfied with the charms she deems that she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/every-woman-thinks-herself-attractive-even-the-plainest-is-satisfied/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/)

[Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/)

## More Charm quotes

> [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/)

[Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/)

> [Every woman thinks herself attractive; even the plainest is satisfied with the charms she deems that she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/every-woman-thinks-herself-attractive-even-the-plainest-is-satisfied/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-herford/modesty-is-the-gentle-art-of-enhancing-your-charm-by-pretending-not/)

[Oliver Herford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-herford/)

> [Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/talk-health-the-dreary-never-changing-tale-of-mortal-maladies-is-worn/)

[Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/)

> [I'm an old school guy and love the guys in the monster suits and JAWS; even though everyone makes fun of the shark I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-m-an-old-school-guy-and-love-the-guys-in-the-monster-suits-and-jaws/)

[Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/)

> [Every woman has the instinct, the propensity to profit from her charms, and there's a lot to be said for giving oneself without love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/every-woman-has-the-instinct-the-propensity-to-profit-from-her-charms/)

[Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/)

> [I don't know that I'm a free spirit or anything like that. I just have my own way of doing things. That's the charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-schultz/i-don-t-know-that-i-m-a-free-spirit-or-anything-like-that-i-just-have/)

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> [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/)

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[Melissa Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-hill/)

> [Even after marrying Mallika, I feel that I am her boyfriend. In fact, I believe this feeling enhances the charm and fun of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayed-khan/even-after-marrying-mallika-i-feel-that-i-am-her-boyfriend-in-fact-i/)

[Zayed Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayed-khan/)

> [Criticism even should not be without its charms. When quite devoid of all amenities, it is no longer literary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/criticism-even-should-not-be-without-its-charms-when-quite-devoid-of/)

[Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/)

> [“Never trust charm, it's the most powerful weapon in the devil's armory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gilbert/never-trust-charm-it-s-the-most-powerful-weapon-in-the-devil-s-armory/)

[Anthony Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gilbert/)

> [Paul Taylor's 'Offenbach Overtures' has lots of zip and charm, and its pair of dueling soldiers in red, who end up starry-eyed about each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/paul-taylor-s-offenbach-overtures-has-lots-of-zip-and-charm-and-its/)

[Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/)

> [Time's stern tide, with cold Oblivion's wave, Shall soon dissolve each fair, each fading charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-seward/time-s-stern-tide-with-cold-oblivion-s-wave-shall-soon-dissolve-each/)

[Anna Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-seward/)

> [Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/washington-is-a-city-of-southern-efficiency-and-northern-charm/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

[Browse all 1,415 Charm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/)

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