--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the…" description: "\"Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.\" — Colley Cibber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg" --- # Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good… ![“Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.” quote by Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg) > “Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.” [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advises against letting wit exceed the bounds of polite behavior, urging restraint. **In simple terms:** Don’t let cleverness become rude. Key Takeaway Balance humor with respect. Themes etiquette wit self‑control social grace Mood thoughtful balanced Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - Dinner parties - professional meetings - public speaking Key Concepts Politeness social norms Questions to Reflect On - When does wit become offensive? - How can you be witty without crossing lines? 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Sit closer to the salt."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-went-to-a-restaurant-with-my-friend-and-he-said-pass-the-salt-i/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Nobody can have your psychedelic experience for you; you just have to screw your courage up and raise the cup to your lips or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-mckenna/nobody-can-have-your-psychedelic-experience-for-you-you-just-have-to/) [Dennis McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-mckenna/) ## More by Colley Cibber > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Possession is eleven points in the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/possession-is-eleven-points-in-the-law/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [One had as good be out of the world, as out of the fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/one-had-as-good-be-out-of-the-world-as-out-of-the-fashion/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [When we are conscious of the least comparative merit in ourselves, we should take as much care to conceal the value we set upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/when-we-are-conscious-of-the-least-comparative-merit-in-ourselves-we/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [“Tea! thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable liquid,... thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening, wind-tippling cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/tea-thou-soft-thou-sober-sage-and-venerable-liquid-thou-female-tongue/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Stolen sweets are best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/stolen-sweets-are-best/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Old houses mended, Cost little less than new before they're ended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/old-houses-mended-cost-little-less-than-new-before-they-re-ended/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Oh! How many torments lie in the small circle of a wedding ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/oh-how-many-torments-lie-in-the-small-circle-of-a-wedding-ring/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [The happy have whole days, and those they choose. The unhappy have but hours, and those they lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days-and-those-they-choose-the-unhappy-have-but/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [The aspiring youth that fired the Ephesian domeOutlives in fame the pious fool that rais'd it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-aspiring-youth-that-fired-the-ephesian-domeoutlives-in-fame-the/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [What have I done? What horrid crime committed? To me the worst of crimes-outliv'd my liking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/what-have-i-done-what-horrid-crime-committed-to-me-the-worst-of/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Then let not what I cannot have My cheer of mind destroy. Whilst thus I sing, I am a king, Although a poor blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/then-let-not-what-i-cannot-have-my-cheer-of-mind-destroy-whilst-thus/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [“Tea! Thou soft, thou sober, sage and venerable liquid ... to whose glorious insipidity, I owe the happiest moments of my life, let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/tea-thou-soft-thou-sober-sage-and-venerable-liquid-to-whose-glorious/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Losers must have leave to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/losers-must-have-leave-to-speak/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Thou strange piece of wild nature!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/thou-strange-piece-of-wild-nature/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) [Explore all 29 Colley Cibber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) ## More Compass quotes > [It signified nothing that the raw, male magnetism that emanated from him probably made compasses malfunction in his presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaelen-foley/it-signified-nothing-that-the-raw-male-magnetism-that-emanated-from/) [Gaelen Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaelen-foley/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. 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If we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/there-is-an-ancient-indian-saying-we-do-not-inherit-the-earth-from/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [People who do not know the Bible well have been gulled into thinking it is a good guide to morality. This mistaken view may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/people-who-do-not-know-the-bible-well-have-been-gulled-into-thinking/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I have told you of the Spaniard who always put on his spectacles when about to eat cherries, that they might look bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/i-have-told-you-of-the-spaniard-who-always-put-on-his-spectacles-when/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [I have an excellent internal compass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/i-have-an-excellent-internal-compass/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. 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Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) [Browse all 569 Compass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compass/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colley Cibber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the-compass-of-good-manners/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the-compass-of-good-manners/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/colley-cibber-21340_compass_prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the_1866523.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.” — Colley Cibber", "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": "Colley Cibber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prithee don't screw your wit beyond...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the-compass-of-good-manners/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/prithee-don-t-screw-your-wit-beyond-the-compass-of-good-manners/#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 } } ] } ```