--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are few things in which we deceive…" description: "\"There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/william-hazlitt-326_deceive_there-are-few-things-in-which-we-deceive_1927943.jpg" --- # There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more… ![“There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/william-hazlitt-326_deceive_there-are-few-things-in-which-we-deceive_1927943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/william-hazlitt-326_deceive_there-are-few-things-in-which-we-deceive_1927943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/william-hazlitt-326_deceive_there-are-few-things-in-which-we-deceive_1927943.jpg) > “There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often overestimate the value we assign to friends, treating admiration as a false comfort. **In simple terms:** We overvalue friends' esteem. Key Takeaway Question your true feelings about friendships. Themes self‑deception esteem friendship Mood introspective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal reflection - evaluating relationships - social media interactions Key Concepts psychology social perception Questions to Reflect On - Do you truly value your friends or their image? - How does self‑image affect your friendships? A Different Perspective Esteem can be biased by personal desires. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [Even good people are obliged to deceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/even-good-people-are-obliged-to-deceive/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [“If you deceive someone for their own good, how can any real good come from it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-younge-ullman/if-you-deceive-someone-for-their-own-good-how-can-any-real-good-come/) [Danielle Younge-Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-younge-ullman/) > [“Once we comprehend the evolutionary function of deception, we stand better equipped to understand why it happens, when it is likely to happen, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ptera-hunter/once-we-comprehend-the-evolutionary-function-of-deception-we-stand/) Ptera Hunter > [When a person cannot deceive himself the chances are against his being able to deceive other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/when-a-person-cannot-deceive-himself-the-chances-are-against-his/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [We never deceive for a good purpose: knavery adds malice to falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-never-deceive-for-a-good-purpose-knavery-adds-malice-to-falsehood/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Liars share with those they deceive the desire not to be deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissela-bok/liars-share-with-those-they-deceive-the-desire-not-to-be-deceived/) [Sissela Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissela-bok/) > [Nothing is more easy than to deceive one's self, as our affections are subtle persuaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-more-easy-than-to-deceive-one-s-self-as-our-affections-are/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [It is better to be deceived by one's friends than to deceive them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-better-to-be-deceived-by-one-s-friends-than-to-deceive-them/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The best way in the world to deceive believers is to cloak a message in religious language and declare that it conveys some new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/the-best-way-in-the-world-to-deceive-believers-is-to-cloak-a-message/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [I've come to learn that the determined and gifted and genuine sociopath has far more power to deceive than we realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-ve-come-to-learn-that-the-determined-and-gifted-and-genuine/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [It is quite as ignominious to allow oneself to be deceived as to deceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-queen-of-sweden/it-is-quite-as-ignominious-to-allow-oneself-to-be-deceived-as-to/) [Christina, Queen of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-queen-of-sweden/) > [It is as easy to unknowingly deceive yourself as it is to deceive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-as-easy-to-unknowingly-deceive-yourself-as-it-is-to-deceive/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is in the ability to deceive oneself that the greatest talent is shown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-in-the-ability-to-deceive-oneself-that-the-greatest-talent-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machiavelli-niccolo/he-who-seeks-to-deceive-will-always-find-someone-who-will-allow/) [Machiavelli Niccolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machiavelli-niccolo/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Deceive quotes > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“She knows she's deceiving herself about that, but she prefers to deceive herself. She desperately needs to believe such pure joy is still possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-knows-she-s-deceiving-herself-about-that-but-she-prefers-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“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/) > [A woman one loves rarely suffices for all our needs, so we deceive her with another whom we do not love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/a-woman-one-loves-rarely-suffices-for-all-our-needs-so-we-deceive-her/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-oneself-for-what-we-wish-we-readily/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [No, it's not that they're bad. It's that they're obliged to pretend they're good. They've been brought up to deceive and be cunning, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/no-it-s-not-that-they-re-bad-it-s-that-they-re-obliged-to-pretend/) [Carlos Fuentes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-fuentes/) > [“In my opinion, a lie is a physical act, verbal statement, or omission, deliberately designed to deceive another of the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-craig/in-my-opinion-a-lie-is-a-physical-act-verbal-statement-or-omission/) [David Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-craig/) > [“When you slice the truth too thin, you deceive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/when-you-slice-the-truth-too-thin-you-deceive/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [Those who try to achieve success without hard work ultimately deceive themselves-or worse-deceive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/those-who-try-to-achieve-success-without-hard-work-ultimately-deceive/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Even when they are trying to deceive the voters, the Democrats are incompetent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/even-when-they-are-trying-to-deceive-the-voters-the-democrats-are/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [Trust the story ... the storyteller may dissemble and deceive, the story can't: the story can only ever be itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-robertson/trust-the-story-the-storyteller-may-dissemble-and-deceive-the-story/) [James Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-robertson/) > [Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-what-a-tangled-web-we-weave-when-first-we-practice-to-deceive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We often shed tears that deceive ourselves after deceiving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-often-shed-tears-that-deceive-ourselves-after-deceiving-others/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) Browse all 340 Deceive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. 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