Quotes
Quotes about Folly
Fashion--a word which knaves and fools may use, Their knavery and folly to excuse.
They who delight to be flattered, pay for their folly by a late repentance. [Lat., Qu se laudari gaudent verbis subdolis, Sera dant peonas turpes poenitentia.]
A fool can no more see his own folly than he can see his ears.
The folly of one man is the fortune of another.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Folly loves the martyrdom of Fame.
Folly is wont to have more followers and comrades than discretion. [Sp., Mas acompanados y paniguados debe di tener la locura que la discrecion.]
A rational reaction against irrational excesses and vagaries of skepticism may . . . readily degenerate into the rival folly of credulity.
In the vain laughter of folly wisdom hears half its applause.
He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.
The more gross the fraud the more glibly will it go down, and the more greedily be swallowed, since folly will always find faith where impostors will find imprudence.
All free governments are managed by the combined wisdom and folly of the people.
The solitary, silent, solemn scene, Where Caesars, heroes, peasants, hermits lie, Blended in dust together; where the slave Rests from his labors; where th' insulting proud Resigns his powers; the miser drops his hoard: Where human folly sleeps.
There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.
Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.
. . where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.
I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.
Knowledge, without common sense," says Lee, is "folly; without method, it is waste; without kindness, it is fanaticism; without religion, it is death." But with common sense, it is wisdom with method, it is power; with clarity, it is beneficence; with religion, it is virtue, and life, and peace.
But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
Yet ah! why should they know their fate?Since sorrow never comes too late,And happiness too swiftly flies.Thought would destroy their paradise.No more; where ignorance is bliss,'Tis folly to be wise. - Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College.
London! the needy villain's general home, The common sewer of Paris and of Rome! With eager thirst, by folly or by fate, Sucks in the dregs of each corrupted state.
Ask not of me, love, what is love? Ask what is good of God above; Ask of the great sum what is light; Ask what is darkness of the night; Ask sin of what may be forgiven; Ask what is happiness of heaven; Ask what is folly of the crowd; Ask what is fashion of the shroud; Ask what is sweetness of thy kiss; Ask of thyself what beauty is.
Sweet bird, that shun the noise of folly, most musical, most melancholy!
Men are happy to be laughed at for their humor, but not for their folly.
