--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So may the outward shows be least…" description: "\"So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being seasoned ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/william-shakespeare-4_appearance_so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themse_2215214.jpg" --- # So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is… ![“So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being seasoned with a gracious voice, Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/william-shakespeare-4_appearance_so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themse_2215214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/william-shakespeare-4_appearance_so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themse_2215214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/william-shakespeare-4_appearance_so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themse_2215214.jpg) > “So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being seasoned with a gracious voice, Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Appearances can hide true nature; people often judge by superficial charm, allowing corruption to be accepted when dressed in respectable language or symbols. **In simple terms:** Looks can be deceiving; charm hides vice. Key Takeaway Beware judging by surface; seek deeper truth. Themes deception appearance virtue corruption Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political speeches - religious texts - advertising - personal relationships Key Concepts human nature social perception ethical judgment Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine virtue from polished pretense? - What safeguards can prevent being misled by attractive appearances? A Different Perspective Superficial charm may not reveal hidden intent; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Bless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bless/) [Brows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brows/) [Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived/) [Deceived Ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived-ornament-384845/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Gracious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gracious/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [In-laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-laws/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Obscures Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obscures-evil-3243016/) [Ornament Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ornament-law-4921865/) [Ornament Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ornament-vice-4921866/) [Ornaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ornaments/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Outward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-outward-3443880/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In law, what plea so tainted and corrupts, but being seasoned with a gracious voice obscures the show of evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/in-law-what-plea-so-tainted-and-corrupts-but-being-seasoned-with-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There is no vice so simple but assumes some mark of virtue on his outward parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-is-no-vice-so-simple-but-assumes-some-mark-of-virtue-on-his/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect, For slander's mark was ever yet the fair; The ornament of beauty is suspect, A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/that-thou-art-blamed-shall-not-be-thy-defect-for-slander-s-mark-was/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [How much more doth beauty beauteous seem by that sweet ornament which truth doth give!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-much-more-doth-beauty-beauteous-seem-by-that-sweet-ornament-which/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In religion, What damned error but some sober brow Will bless it, and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/in-religion-what-damned-error-but-some-sober-brow-will-bless-it-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-thou-afeard-to-be-the-same-in-thine-own-act-and-valour-as-thou/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Of chastity, the ornaments are chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-chastity-the-ornaments-are-chaste/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ornament is but the guiled shore to a most dangerous sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ornament-is-but-the-guiled-shore-to-a-most-dangerous-sea/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I never rebel so much against France as not to regard Paris with a friendly eye; she has had my heart since my childhood...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-never-rebel-so-much-against-france-as-not-to-regard-paris-with-a/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I repeat, sir, that in whatever position you place a woman she is an ornament to society and a treasure to the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-repeat-sir-that-in-whatever-position-you-place-a-woman-she-is-an/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [No ornament of a house can compare with books; they are constant company in a room, even when you are not reading them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/no-ornament-of-a-house-can-compare-with-books-they-are-constant/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [The modern majesty consists in work. What a man can do is his greatest ornament, and he always consults his dignity by doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-modern-majesty-consists-in-work-what-a-man-can-do-is-his-greatest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Mannerism is not character, and affectation is the avowed enemy of grace. 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Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' 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