This appears to be an anonymous proverb of unknown authorship, only occasionally attributed to Addison.
Misattributed
“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.”
Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Not original to this work, the proverb dates from at least the 18th century.
Source: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972), Ch. 12, 'Back to The Chocolate Factory' (p.88 in the Paperback edition (1998) from Puffin)
“A careless song, with a little nonsense in it now and then, does not misbecome a monarch.”
Horace Walpole (1717–1797) English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician
Letter to Sir Horace Mann (1774); this is derived from an proverb of unknown authorship: "A little nonsense now and then / Is relished by the wisest men".
“The greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.”
John Heywood (1497–1580) English writer known for plays, poems and a collection of proverbs
Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“The gretest clerkes ben not the wisest men.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Reeve's Tale, l. 4051
The Canterbury Tales
“Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.”
Confucius (-551–-479 BC) Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher
“What if I slept a little more and forgot about all this nonsense.”
Franz Kafka book The Metamorphosis
Variant: How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense.
Source: The Metamorphosis (1915)
