81 Modesty Quotes

I drive a jeep. An old jeep, so nobody will say I'm driving a BMW anymore. I couldn't stand that BMW, ha ha ha! BMW make pure trouble!

Better a dish of husks to the accompaniment of a muted lute than to be satiated with stewed shark's fin and rich spiced wine of which the cost is frequently mentioned by the provider.

Fidelity to conscience is inconsistent with retiring modesty. If it be so, let the modesty succumb. It can be only a false modesty which can be thus endangered.

Nothing so soothes our vanity as a display of greater vanity in others; it make us vain, in fact, of our modesty.

To give an accurate and exhaustive account of that period would need a far less brilliant pen than mine.

I am at best on the C list for Pope.

I have often wished I had time to cultivate modesty... But I am too busy thinking about myself.

I decline the election. - It has ever been my rule through life, to observe a proportion between my efforts and my objects. I have never been remarkable for a bold, active, and sanguine pursuit of advantages that are personal to myself.

We all know that the 'divine glory of the ego' is socially a great nuisance; we all do actually value our friends for modesty, freshness, and simplicity of heart. Whatever may be the reason, we all do warmly respect humility - in other people.

Life is very fleeting. It's important to be gentle and optimistic. We look behind and think what we've done in this life has been good. It was simple; it was modest. Everyone creates their own story and moves on. That's it. I don't feel particularly important. What we create is not important. We're very insignificant.

A Creature not too bright or good For human nature's daily food; For transient sorrows, simple wiles, Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears and smiles.

Hey listen - I've proved a lot of things. That's how I pay my rent. Theories and little observations. A puckish remark now and then. Occasional maxims. It beats picking olives, but let's not get carried away.

Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket: and do not pull it out and strike it, merely to show that you have one.

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

His high-pitched voice already stood out above the general murmur of well-behaved junior executives grooming themselves for promotion within the Bell corporation. Then he was suddenly heard to say: 'No, I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain. All I'm after is just a mediocre brain, something like the President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.'

I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people convinced that they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another.

Do not conceive that fine clothes make fine men, any more than fine feathers make fine birds. A plain, genteel dress is more admired, obtains more credit in the eyes of the judicious and sensible.

But it just seems to me that if God had intended for you to cover your face then in His wisdom He would have provided you with a flap of skin for the purpose.

Who thinks a dog is impure or obscene because its body is not covered with suffocating and annoying clothes? What would you think of the meanness of a man who would put a skirt upon his, horse and compel it to walk or run with such a thing impeding its limbs? Why, the 'Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' would arrest him, take the beast from him, and he would be sent to a lunatic asylum for treatment on the score of an impure mind. And yet, gentlemen, you expect your wives, the creatures you say you respect and love, to wear the longest skirts and the highest necked clothing, in order to conceal the obscene human body. There is no society for the prevention of cruelty to women.

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.

There's something in a flying horse, There's something in a huge balloon; But through the clouds I'll never float Until I have a little Boat, Shaped like the crescent-moon.

The flower of sweetest smell is shy and lowly.

The wisest man could ask no more of Fate Than to be simple, modest, manly, true, Safe from the Many-honored by the Few; To count as naught in World or Church or State; But inwardly in secret to be great.

I wish they don't forget to keep those treasures pure which they have in excellence over the west: their artistic building of life, the simplicity and modesty in personal need, and the pureness and calmness of Japanese soul. (referring to the Japanese people.)

'Bob's knowledge of players and the game in general is unsurpassed. Football has known no equal in management or prize-winning, but his modesty and dignity were overwhelming as he led this club from one triumph to another. His name will always be synonymous with Liverpool.'

'I'm never really comfortable with people cheering for me.'

Hitherto the nude has always been represented in poses which presuppose an audience; but these women of mine are honest, simple folk, unconcerned by any other interests than those involved in their physical condition. Here is another; she is washing her feet. It is as if you looked through a key-hole.

In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander: I have modest abilities, I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed.

The maid who modestly conceals Her beauties, while she hides, reveals; Give but a glimpse, and fancy draws Whate'er the Grecian Venus was.

For which he wex a litel red for shame, Whan he the peple upon him herde cryen, That to beholde it was a noble game, How sobreliche he caste doun his yen. Criseyda gan al his chere aspyen, And let so softe it in her herte sinke That to herself she seyde, 'Who yaf me drinke?'

Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya (This term 'Haya' covers a large number of concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of faith.

I'll ha'e nae hauf-way hoose, but aye be whaur Extremes meet - it's the only way I ken To dodge the curst conceit o' bein' richt That damns the vast majority o' men.

My day started off particularly well with a phonecall from Richard in Germany who told me, he says 'Do you want any wine? My father owns a vineyard.' Owns a vineyard??!! So I said 'Next time I come to Germany I shall come and stay with you - probably for several years'. (plays a record) I'm always very pleased to get letters or indeed phonecalls from anybody whose family own vineyards - or Mercedes Benz dealerships, or, because I have so many children, a toilet paper factory as well, if you want to get in touch.

I was fine with taking my top off but I wouldn't walk around starkers. I'm not an exhibitionist!

'It's not necessary to flaunt your body or talk nasty'

Her pretty feet, like snails, did creep A little out, and then, As if they played at bo-peep, Did soon draw in again.

I never yet touched a fig leaf that didn't turn into a price tag.

There's something that remains barbarous in educated people, and lately I've more and more had the feeling that we are nonwondering primitives. And why is it that we no longer marvel at these technological miracles? They've become the external facts of every life. We've all been to the university, we've had introductory courses in everything, and therefore we have persuaded ourselves that if we had the time to apply ourselves to these scientific marvels, we would understand them. But of course that's an illusion. It couldn't happen. Even among people who have had careers in science. They know no more about how it all works than we do. So we are in the position of savage men who, however, have been educated into believing that they are capable of understanding everything. Not that we actually do understand, but that we have the capacity.

We are permitted to ride, providing we sit in a position ruinous to the horse; providing we wear a riding-habit long enough to hide the obscene human foot, weighed down by ten pounds of gravel to cheat the wind in its free blowing, so running the risk of disabling ourselves completely should accident throw us from the saddle. Think how we swim! We must even wear clothing in the water, and run the gauntlet of derision, if we dare battle in the surf minus stockings!

Her cap, far whiter than the driven snow, Emblem right meet of decency does yield.

Her cap, far whiter than the driven snow, Emblems right meet of decency does yield.

An empty taxi arrived and out of it stepped Attlee.

In my opinion Mr. Moore is a greater poet than Mr. Yeats. He has lived obscurely, and has not displayed Mr. Yeats's talent for self-dramatization; for these reasons and others he has never become a public figure or a popular writer.

Lincoln's proclamation is even more important than the Maryland campaign. Lincoln is a sui generis figure in the annals of history. He has no initiative, no idealistic impetus, cothurnus, no historical trappings. He gives his most important actions always the most commonplace form. Other people claim to be 'fighting for an idea,' when it is for them a matter of square feet of land. Lincoln, even when he is motivated by, an idea, talks about 'square feet.' He sings the bravura aria of his part hesitantly, reluctantly and unwillingly, as though apologising for being compelled by circumstances 'to act the lion.' The most redoubtable decrees - which will always remain remarkable historical documents - flung by him at the enemy all look like, and are intended to look like, routine summonses sent by a lawyer to the lawyer of the opposing party, legal chicaneries, involved, hidebound actiones juris.

Can't act, slightly bald, also dances

False modesty is still false, no matter how charming it might seem

Good breeding consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person.

I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you - Nobody - Too?

My name is Norval; on the Grampian hills My father feeds his flocks; a frugal swain, Whose constant cares were to increase his store, And keep his only son, myself, at home.

'I'm excited (after hitting for the cycle), but I guess it hasn't hit me yet. I'm only the second Mariner to do it and the other is Jay Buhner, who can't run.'

Perfect humility dispenses with modesty.

Of course voting is useful. But then again, I don't put a big glow to it. Voting is about as essential as washing yourself. It's something you're supposed to do. Now, you can't go around bragging, expecting to get props because you voted. That's stupid.

The beauty of a naked body is felt only by the dressed races.

I gave a speech in Omaha. After the speech I went to a reception elsewhere in town. A sweet old lady came up to me, put her gloved hand in mine, and said, 'I hear you spoke here tonight.' 'Oh, it was nothing,' I replied modestly. 'Yes,' the little old lady nodded, 'that's what I heard.'

To write an autobiography of Groucho Marx would be as asinine as to read an autobiography of Groucho Marx.

Thy modesty 's a candle to thy merit.

I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either.

'Modesty is my best quality'

Be a constant outrage to modesty There is nothing to fear: modesty is exercised only among the blind.

As to matters of dress, I would recommend one never to be first in the fashion nor the last out of it.

My face - I see it in the mirror when I wash it every morning. It's an okay face. (1988)

Say nothing good of yourself, you will be distrusted; say nothing bad of yourself, you will be taken at your word.

You can say what you like about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of shins.

Few are the women and maidens who would let themselves think that one could at the same time be joyous and modest. They are all bold and coarse in their speech, in their demeanor wild and lewd. That is now the fashion of being in good cheer. But it is specially evil that the young maiden folk are exceedingly bold of speech and bearing, and curse like troopers, to say nothing of their shameful words and scandalous coarse sayings, which one always hears and learns from another.

Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.

Her modest looks the cottage might adorn, Sweet as the primrose peeps beneath the thorn.

We modest Gentlemen don't want for much success among the women.

To refuse awards is another way of accepting them with more noise than is normal.

Writing, is not necessarily something to be ashamed of - but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.

You are a vain fellow. You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things. A hero! ... I don't quite know what that is: but, you see, I imagine that a hero is a man who does what he can. The others do not do it.

He walks in the street, a picture of modesty in his felt hat and his gabardine suit, and all the while he's thinking, 'I'm immortal.' The world is his, time is his, and I'm nothing but an insect.