Antisthenes (-444–-365 BC) Greek philosopher
§ 5
From Lives and Opinions of the Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius
“It is infinitely better to have a few good men than many indifferent ones.”
Letter to James McHenry (10 August 1798)
1790s
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George Washington186
first President of the United States 1732–1799Related quotes
André Maurois (1885–1967) French writer
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939), The Art of Working
“Better to have one friend of great value, than many friends who were good for nothing.”
Anacharsis Scythian philosopher
As quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius, as translated by C. D. Yonge, (1853), "Anacharsis" sect. 5, p. 48
“A few honest men are better than numbers.”
Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) English military and political leader
Letter to Sir William Spring (September 1643)
Diogenes Laërtius (180–240) biographer of ancient Greek philosophers
Anarcharsis, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers
“A great deal of love given to a few is better than a little to many.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) 3rd President of the United States of America
“Better to have one woman on your side than ten men.”
al'Lan Mandragoran
Variant: There is an old saying here in the Borderlands: "Better to have one woman on your side than ten men."
Source: The Great Hunt (15 November 1990)
“Perhaps misguided moral passion is better than confused indifference.”
Iris Murdoch book The Book and the Brotherhood
The Book and the Brotherhood (1987) p. 248.