Who gives a trifle meanly, is meaner than the trifle. [ Lavater ]

No man ever thought too highly of his nature or too meanly of himself. [ Young ]

You who forget your friends, meanly to follow after those of a higher degree, are a snob. [ Thackeray ]

There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegyrists. [ Colton ]

We cannot speak a loyal word and be meanly silent; we cannot kill and not kill at the same moment; but a moment is room enough for the loyal and mean desire, for the outflash of a murderous thought, and the sharp backward stroke of repentance. [ George Eliot ]

This is he that kiss'd away his hand in courtesy; This is the ape of form, monsieur the nice. That when he plays at tables, chides the dice in honorable terms; nay, he can sing a mean most meanly; and in ushering, mend him who can; the ladies call him sweet; The stairs, as he treads on them, kiss his feet. [ William Shakespeare ]

Might I give counsel to any young hearer, I would say to him, try to frequent the company of your betters. In books and life is the most wholesome society; learn to admire rightly; the great pleasure of life is that. Note what the great men admire, - they admired great things; narrow spirits admire basely, and worship meanly. [ Thackeray ]