Quote#Wisdom
Authority intoxicates, And makes mere sots of magistrates
Quote bySamuel Butler (poet) · 1612–1680
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: From Miscellaneous Thoughts, lines 283-290 ; as contained in The Poetical Works of Samuel Butler: A Revised Edition with Memoir and Notes, Volume 2, Samuel Butler, G. Bell & Sons (1893), pp. 275-276.
English (original)
Authority intoxicates, And makes mere sots of magistrates; The fumes of it invade the brain, And make men giddy, proud and vain; By this the fool commands the wise, The noble with the base complies, The sot assumes the rule of wit, and cowards make the base submit.
— Samuel Butler (poet)
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We grant, although he had much wit, He was very shy of using it.