--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew a very wise man . . . that…" description: "\"“I knew a very wise man . . . that . . . believed if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should make the laws of a nation..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/andrew-fletcher-75792_poetry_i-knew-a-very-wise-man-that-believed-if_2056426.jpg" --- # I knew a very wise man . . . that . . . believed if a man… ![“I knew a very wise man . . . that . . . believed if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should make the laws of a nation, and we find that most of the ancient legislators thought that they could not well reform the manners of any city without the help of a lyric, and…” quote by Andrew Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/andrew-fletcher-75792_poetry_i-knew-a-very-wise-man-that-believed-if_2056426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/andrew-fletcher-75792_poetry_i-knew-a-very-wise-man-that-believed-if_2056426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/andrew-fletcher-75792_poetry_i-knew-a-very-wise-man-that-believed-if_2056426.jpg) > ““I knew a very wise man . . . that . . . believed if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should make the laws of a nation, and we find that most of the ancient legislators thought that they could not well reform the manners of any city without the help of a lyric, and sometimes of a dramatic poet.”” Andrew Fletcher ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A poet’s influence can shape laws and morals, suggesting art guides governance better than legislation alone. **In simple terms:** Art can guide law and morals better than legislation alone can Key Takeaway Consider the role of artists in shaping policy. Themes art politics culture influence Mood reflective critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - educational curricula - public art projects - media commentary Key Concepts poetry legislation social reform Questions to Reflect On - How can artistic expression complement legal processes? - What limits exist for artistic influence on governance? A Different Perspective Art alone cannot replace the need for concrete legal frameworks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Wise man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-man/) ## Related quotes > [I knew a wise man that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion, "Stay a little, that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-knew-a-wise-man-that-had-it-for-a-by-word-when-he-saw-men-hasten-to/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“Like any city, we have assholes with pits who try to put on spur of the moment fights to make these cowards think they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laraine-lebron/like-any-city-we-have-assholes-with-pits-who-try-to-put-on-spur-of/) Laraine Lebron > [Coaching and playing in New York is different than any city. 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Whenever we liberate any city or village from the terrorists, the civilians will go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/you-have-to-look-at-the-reality-in-syria-whenever-we-liberate-any/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The first joint priority of the churches of any city should be that of making it hard for people to go to hell from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shibley/the-first-joint-priority-of-the-churches-of-any-city-should-be-that/) [David Shibley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shibley/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Frankly, any city person who doesn't think I deserve a white-collar salary as a farmer doesn't deserve my special food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/frankly-any-city-person-who-doesn-t-think-i-deserve-a-white-collar/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [Everything about singing, I learned from busking. 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Subban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-k-subban/) > [My favourite thing to do in any city is just to get lost and go for long walks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/my-favourite-thing-to-do-in-any-city-is-just-to-get-lost-and-go-for/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [“Out of that night and day of unconditional wrath, folks would've expected to see any city, if it survived, all newly reborn, purified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/out-of-that-night-and-day-of-unconditional-wrath-folks-would-ve/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Andrew Fletcher > [All of our affairs, since the union of crowns, have been managed by the advice of English ministers, and the principal offices of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-fletcher/all-of-our-affairs-since-the-union-of-crowns-have-been-managed-by-the/) Andrew Fletcher > [One of the reasons we survive as a band is that we are seen as a band of today. We don't want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-fletcher/one-of-the-reasons-we-survive-as-a-band-is-that-we-are-seen-as-a-band/) Andrew Fletcher Explore all 3 Andrew Fletcher quotes ## More Poetry quotes > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [The name Phenomenal Woman was inspired by Maya Angelo, who wrote 'Phenomenal Woman', a favorite poem of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meena-harris/the-name-phenomenal-woman-was-inspired-by-maya-angelo-who-wrote/) [Meena Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meena-harris/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. 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