“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)
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Do you have more details about the quote "Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change." by Confucius?
Confucius269
Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher -551–-479 BCRelated quotes
“The gretest clerkes ben not the wisest men.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Reeve's Tale, l. 4051
The Canterbury Tales
“A little nonsense now and then
Is relished by the wisest men.”
Joseph Addison (1672–1719) politician, writer and playwright
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)
F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead (1872–1930) British politician
Statement of 1925, as quoted in Britain between the Wars (1955) by C. L. Mowat, p. 300.
