--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is…" description: "\"A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is so full of himself that he has no room for anything else, be it never so good or deserving.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/william-penn-1104_creatures_a-vain-man-is-a-nauseous-creature-he-is_1796427.png" --- # A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is so full of… ![“A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is so full of himself that he has no room for anything else, be it never so good or deserving.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/william-penn-1104_creatures_a-vain-man-is-a-nauseous-creature-he-is_1796427.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/william-penn-1104_creatures_a-vain-man-is-a-nauseous-creature-he-is_1796427.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/william-penn-1104_creatures_a-vain-man-is-a-nauseous-creature-he-is_1796427.png) > “A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is so full of himself that he has no room for anything else, be it never so good or deserving.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive self‑importance leaves no room for other virtues or ideas. **In simple terms:** Vanity crowds out other values. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and openness. Themes vanity humility self‑perception Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - teamwork - creative collaboration - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does vanity affect your decisions? - What can you do to stay humble? A Different Perspective Humility can be difficult to practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [It may easily come to pass that a vain man may become proud and imagine himself pleasing to all when he is in reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-may-easily-come-to-pass-that-a-vain-man-may-become-proud-and/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Vanity is apt to inspire contempt, but that becomes immediately tempered by a gentler and more gracious feeling; for the vain man desires to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-alfred-lynch/vanity-is-apt-to-inspire-contempt-but-that-becomes-immediately/) [Arthur Alfred Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-alfred-lynch/) > [“Women may be vain, but when a man is vain, it is beyond believing, for a man is willing to die for his vanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag-the-volcano-lover/women-may-be-vain-but-when-a-man-is-vain-it-is-beyond-believing-for-a/) Susan Sontag The Volcano Lover > [A vain man can never be utterly ruthless: he wants to win applause and therefore he accommodates himself to others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-vain-man-can-never-be-utterly-ruthless-he-wants-to-win-applause-and/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The vain man makes a merit of misfortune, and triumphs in his disgrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-vain-man-makes-a-merit-of-misfortune-and-triumphs-in-his-disgrace/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [A vain man can never be altogether rude. Desirous as he is of pleasing, he fashions his manners after those of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-vain-man-can-never-be-altogether-rude-desirous-as-he-is-of-pleasing/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/to-be-a-man-s-own-fool-is-bad-enough-but-the-vain-man-is-everybody-s/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-vain-man-finds-it-wise-to-speak-good-or-ill-of-himself-a-modest-man/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Never expect justice from a vain man; if he has the negative magnanimity not to disparage you, it is the most you can expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/never-expect-justice-from-a-vain-man-if-he-has-the-negative/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [“There is nothing more disgraceful than a vain man." "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-madson/there-is-nothing-more-disgraceful-than-a-vain-man-better-a-diamond/) Devin Madson > [Every present occasion will catch the senses of the vain man; and with that bridle and saddle you may ride him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/every-present-occasion-will-catch-the-senses-of-the-vain-man-and-with/) [Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/) > [A cockle-fish may as soon crowd the ocean into its narrow shell, as vain man ever comprehend the decrees of God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beveridge/a-cockle-fish-may-as-soon-crowd-the-ocean-into-its-narrow-shell-as/) [William Beveridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beveridge/) > [“There’s nothing more unattractive than a vain man,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/there-s-nothing-more-unattractive-than-a-vain-man/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“There is no one to blame but me— me and my stupidity— for believing in a vain man like you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-dabish/there-is-no-one-to-blame-but-me-me-and-my-stupidity-for-believing-in/) Josie Dabish > [No wonder, Sir, that he is vain; a man who is perpetually flattered in every mode that can be conceived. So many bellows have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-wonder-sir-that-he-is-vain-a-man-who-is-perpetually-flattered-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Creatures quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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