Children Quote by George Herbert
“Better a snotty child, then his nose wip'd off.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unknown, possibly 17th‑century verse
Uses a vivid image of a child's nose being ripped off to illustrate the absurdity of petty cruelty.
In simple terms: Petty cruelty is grotesquely absurd.
Key Takeaway
Avoid needless cruelty.
Themes
humor
absurdity
morality
childhood
violence
Mood
critical
reflective
serious
Type
poetry
philosophical
When to use this quote
- social interactions
- conflict resolution
- parenting
- education
Key Concepts
ethical critique
satire
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this image reveal about human pettiness?
- How can we replace cruelty with compassion?
A Different Perspective
The graphic metaphor may be too harsh for some audiences.
![“Together he [Girolamo Savonarola] and his archenemy Lorenzo [de' Medici] would have been the stuff of gargoyles. One could almost imagine the diptych in which their profiles confronted each other, their noses as powerful as their personalities.” quote by Sarah Dunant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c90/sarah-dunant-22065_gargoyles_together-he-girolamo-savonarola-and-his_5490.jpg)
![“In the house of a Fidler, all fiddle. [In the house of the fiddler all fiddle.]” quote by George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b11/george-herbert-107_fiddle_in-the-house-of-a-fidler-all-fiddle-in-t_4810.jpg)
