Top 25 Folly Quotes of 142

Where there is emulation, there will be vanity; where there is vanity, there will be folly.

Where there is emulation, there will be vanity; where there is vanity, there will be folly.

Vanity, Emulation, Folly

Samuel Johnson, Hester Lynch Piozzi, James Boswell (1787). “The Beauties of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, to which are Now Added, Biographical Anecdotes of the Doctor, Selected from the Late Productions of Mrs. Piozzi, Mr. Boswell, ...”, p.83

There is no polite way to suggest to someone that they have devoted their life to a folly.

Daniel Dennett

Way, Polite, Folly

When knowledge is limited - it leads to folly... When knowledge exceeds a certain limit, it leads to exploitation.

Abu Bakr

Limits, Certain, Folly

Meddling with another man's folly is always thankless work.

Rudyard Kipling

Men, Folly, Meddling

Rudyard Kipling (2016). “Collected Works of Rudyard Kipling (Illustrated Edition): 5 Novels & 350+ Short Stories, Poetry, Historical Military Works and Autobiographical Writings from one of the most popular writers in England, known for The Jungle Book, Kim, The Man Who Would Be King”, p.747, e-artnow (Open Publishing)

PIRACY, n. Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.

Ambrose Bierce

Justice, Made, Folly

Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.226, ReadHowYouWant.com

Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.

William Shakespeare

Stupidity, You Like It, Folly

'As You Like It' (1599) act 2, sc. 7, l. 174

America is a fortunate country. She grows by the follies of our European nations.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Country, America, Folly

The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Luxury, Enemy, Folly

A thing can be true and still be desperate folly.

Richard Adams

Desperate, Being True, Folly

Richard Adams (2014). “Watership Down”, p.94, Oneworld Publications

Apathy borders upon folly.

Publilius Syrus

Apathy, Borders, Folly

[N]o party is any fun unless seasoned with folly.

Desiderius Erasmus

Fun, Party, Folly

Desiderius Erasmus (1986). “Literary and Educational Writings: Panegyricus and Philippum Austriaeducem. Moriae encomium. Dialogus Julius exclusus e coelis. Institutio principis christiani. Querela pacis”

Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is ever a mark of folly.

Benjamin Franklin

Silence, Mark, Folly

Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.295, Barnes & Noble Publishing

It was not one folly that Shakespeare talked about. If Love truly is but a myriad of follies then I have committed them all, that can mean only one thing - I loved her truly, madly, deeply!

Faraaz Kazi

Mean, Committed, Folly

It is folly to fear what cannot be avoided.

Publilius Syrus

Folly, Avoided

Arrogance is ever accompanied by folly.

Plato

Arrogance, Folly

Those who realise their folly are not true fools.

Zhuangzi

Stupidity, Fool, Folly

We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government.

Benjamin Franklin

Pride, Government, Folly

Covering discretion with a coat of folly.

William Shakespeare

Covering, Coats, Folly

William Shakespeare (1816). “The Works of William Shakspeare...: Collated Verbatim with the Most Authentic Copies, and Revised, with the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators”, p.401