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Cleverness quotes

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“They tried to be too clever—and that was their undoing.” Agatha Christie, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” - 1920

“Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the society of clever women.” Leo Tolstoy, “War and Peace” - 1869

“A stupid man's report of what a clever man says is never accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something that he can understand.” Bertrand Russell, “A History of Western Philosophy” - 1945

“Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.” John Steinbeck, “East of Eden” - 1952

“What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.” Sun Tzu, “The Art of War” - 5th century BC

“The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them” George R. R. Martin, “A Storm of Swords” - 2000

“Cleverness was silly. One must say simply what one felt.” Virginia Woolf, “Mrs Dalloway” - 1925

“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” William Shakespeare, “Twelfth Night” - 1623

“He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.” William Shakespeare, “As You Like It” - 1623

“You're a lad, you are, but you're as smart as paint.” Robert Louis Stevenson, “Treasure Island” - 1883

“Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.” Sun Tzu, “The Art of War” - 5th century BC

“Now goblins are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones.” J. R. R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit” - 1937

“She is very clever, too clever for a woman. She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness. It is the feet of clay that make the gold of the image precious.” Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” - 1890

“My idea of good company, Mr Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.” Jane Austen, “Persuasion” - 1816

“I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays. You can't go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left.” Oscar Wilde, “The Importance of Being Earnest” - 1895

“I need you to think of solutions to problems we haven’t seen yet. I want you to try things that no one has ever tried because they’re absolutely stupid.” Orson Scott Card, “Ender's Game” - 1985

“I don't have much in the way of money or worldly possessions, I'm not beautiful, intelligent or clever, but I'm happy, and I intend to stay that way! I was born happy, I love people, I have a trusting nature, and I'd like everyone else to be...” Anne Frank, “The Diary of a Young Girl” - 1947

“He knew her to be clever, to have a quick apprehension as well as good sense, and a fondness for reading, which, properly directed, must be an education in itself.” Jane Austen, “Mansfield Park” - 1814

“A boy who once wiped his ass with poison ivy probably doesn’t belong in a smart people’s club.” Stephen King, “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” - 2000

Related topics

stupidity foolishness women men trust happiness understanding enemies reading feeling weakness trying will laugh cruelty ease winning excuse education paint

Related authors

William Shakespeare (2)
Jane Austen (2)
Oscar Wilde (2)
Sun Tzu (2)
George R. R. Martin (1)
Robert Louis Stevenson (1)
Virginia Woolf (1)
Bertrand Russell (1)
Leo Tolstoy (1)
Agatha Christie (1)
J. R. R. Tolkien (1)
Stephen King (1)
John Steinbeck (1)
Anne Frank (1)
Orson Scott Card (1)

Related sources

The Art of War (2)
Twelfth Night (1)
As You Like It (1)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1)
Treasure Island (1)
Mrs Dalloway (1)
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1)
The Hobbit (1)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (1)
East of Eden (1)
The Diary of a Young Girl (1)
Ender's Game (1)
Persuasion (1)
Mansfield Park (1)
War and Peace (1)
A Storm of Swords (1)
A History of Western Philosophy (1)