“Manner is all in all, whate'er is writ,
The substitute for genius, sense, and wit.”
Source: Table Talk (1782), Line 542.
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
William Cowper174
(1731–1800) English poet and hymnodist 1731–1800Related quotes
Omar Khayyám (1048–1131) Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer
The Rubaiyat (1120)
“Nor ought a genius less than his that writ
Attempt translation.”
John Denham (1615–1669) English poet and courtier
To Sir Richard Fanshaw, Upon his Translation of Pastor Fido, line 9.
“Vulgarity is no substitute for wit”
Julian Fellowes (1949) English actor, dramatist, director, novelist, producer and screenwriter
“Madness is the genius’ substitute for stupidity.”
Ron English (1959) American artist
Ron English's Fauxlosophy (2016)
“Accept a miracle instead of wit,—
See two dull lines with Stanhope's pencil writ.”
Edward Young (1683–1765) English poet
Lines written with the Diamond Pencil of Lord Chesterfield; reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).
“Bedside manners are no substitute for the right diagnosis.”
Alfred P. Sloan (1875–1966) American businessman
Alfred P. Sloan, quoted in: The Almanac of Quotable Quotes from 1990. (1991), p. 103
Maximilien Robespierre (1758–1794) French revolutionary lawyer and politician
Principles to Form the Basis of the Administration of the Republic (February 1794)
“Common sense and the truth should feel authorless, writ by time itself.”
Miranda July (1974) American performance artist, musician and writer
The Shared Patio (2005)
Context: Common sense and the truth should feel authorless, writ by time itself. It is actually really hard to write something that will make a terminally ill person feel better. And Positive has rules, you can't just lift your guidance from the Bible or a book about Zen; they want original material. So far none of my submissions have gotten in, but I'm getting closer.