25 Quotes Tagged: cleverness

A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.

Wit is the sudden marriage of ideas which before their union were not perceived to have any relation.

I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays.

"Rabbit's clever," said Pooh thoughtfully.
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit's clever."
"And he has Brain."
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit has Brain."
There was a long silence.
"I suppose," said Pooh, "that that's why he never understands anything."

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.

A clever man commits no minor blunders.

My idea of good company, Mr. Eliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.

She had always observed that she got on better with clever women than silly ones like herself; the silly ones could never understand her wisdom; whereas the clever ones - the really clever ones - always understood her silliness.

We avenge intelligence when we deceive a fool.

Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next.

There are so many different kinds of stupidity, and cleverness is one of the worst.

If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.

(Get Out or Get in Line, 1928)

And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were beaten by a woman’s wit. He used to make merry over the cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman.

Cleverness is not wisdom.

Chorus [of Birds]: Man is a truly cunning creature.