--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is doubtful whether mankind are most…" description: "\"It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Pal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg" --- # It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those… ![“It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Paley, purify it, stamp it, fix its real value, and give it currency and utility” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg) > “It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Paley, purify it, stamp it, fix its real value, and give it currency and utility” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts two contributions to literature: extracting raw material versus refining and assigning value, questioning which is more essential to humanity. **In simple terms:** Literature's raw extraction vs. refinement Key Takeaway Value lies in both discovery and refinement Themes valuation literature knowledge culture meaning Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type aphor observation When to use this quote - academic research - publishing industry - library curation - educational curriculum design - cultural policy making Key Concepts extraction refinement valuation utility Practical Applications - Developing literary criticism frameworks - Designing curricula that balance classic texts with contemporary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What role should scholars play in shaping literary value? - How does the process of refinement affect accessibility of ideas? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Butlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers/) [Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) [Doubtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubtful/) [Doubtful Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubtful-mankind-431621/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-literature-431620/) [Indebted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indebted/) [Indebted Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indebted-like-431622/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Indebted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-indebted-431619/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-value/) [Stamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stamps/) [Utility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utility/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Mankind are more indebted to industry than ingenuity; the gods set up their favors at a price, and industry is the purchaser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/mankind-are-more-indebted-to-industry-than-ingenuity-the-gods-set-up/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [It is to the press mankind are indebted for having dispelled the clouds which so long encompassed religion, for disclosing her genuine lustre, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-to-the-press-mankind-are-indebted-for-having-dispelled-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Intimate relationships are a gold mine for literature to explore, to understand, to describe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-yehoshua/intimate-relationships-are-a-gold-mine-for-literature-to-explore-to/) [A. B. Yehoshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-yehoshua/) > [Butler compared the tongues of these eternal talkers to race-horses, which go the faster the less weight they carry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/butler-compared-the-tongues-of-these-eternal-talkers-to-race-horses/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Shakespeare, Butler and Bacon have rendered it extremely difficult for all who come after them to be sublime, witty or profound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/shakespeare-butler-and-bacon-have-rendered-it-extremely-difficult-for/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [All the poets are indebted more or less to those who have gone before them; even Homer's originality has been questioned, and Virgil owes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/all-the-poets-are-indebted-more-or-less-to-those-who-have-gone-before/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Love is an alchemist that can transmute poison into food--and a spaniel, that prefers even punishment from one hand to caresses from another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/love-is-an-alchemist-that-can-transmute-poison-into-food-and-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Butler is branded a felon, an outlaw, an enemy of Mankind, and so ordered that in the event of his capture, the officer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/butler-is-branded-a-felon-an-outlaw-an-enemy-of-mankind-and-so/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [During a mock battle attended by President Warren Harding in 1921, Marine Corps General Smedley D. Butler exhumed the arm \[of Stonewall Jackson; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/during-a-mock-battle-attended-by-president-warren-harding-in-1921/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [Perriwickturned to Penelope as he set the tray down on a table. "If I might be so bold, my lady-" "Perriwick!" Blake roared. "If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/perriwickturned-to-penelope-as-he-set-the-tray-down-on-a-table-if-i/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [Wait," said Butler. "Just wait, Holly. Artemis has a plan." He squinted through the green dome. "What is your plan, Artemis?" All Artemis could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/wait-said-butler-just-wait-holly-artemis-has-a-plan-he-squinted/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Tea? At the beach? No time for luxuries, Holly. There is important work to be done.” He winked at Butler. “Are you sure you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/tea-at-the-beach-no-time-for-luxuries-holly-there-is-important-work/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/moderation-is-the-inseparable-companion-of-wisdom-but-with-it-genius/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Paley, purify it, stamp it, fix its real value, and give it currency and utility", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Caleb Colton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/charles-caleb-colton-270_books_it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most_32708.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the…” — Charles Caleb Colton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Caleb Colton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is doubtful whether mankind are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```