--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better a lively old epigram than a deadly…" description: "\"Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one.\" — Helen Rowland" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png" --- # Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one. ![“Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one.” quote by Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png) > “Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one.” [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An old witty saying is preferable to a harmful modern slogan. **In simple terms:** Old wit beats harmful new ideas. Key Takeaway Value timeless wisdom over flashy trends. Themes wisdom humor communication Mood reflective critical Type aphilosophical social commentary When to use this quote - political discourse - social media - advertising - public speaking Key Concepts satire cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tradition and innovation? - When does a modern slogan become harmful? A Different Perspective New ideas can be constructive if carefully crafted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-lively-5703826/) [Deadly New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadly-new-5703827/) [Epigram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigram/) [Epigram Deadly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigram-deadly-5703825/) [Epigrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigrams/) [Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lively/) [Old Epigram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-epigram-5703824/) ## Related quotes > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I summed up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-summed-up-all-systems-in-a-phrase-and-all-existence-in-an-epigram/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Some learned writers . . . have compared a Scorpion to an Epigram . . . because as the sting of the Scorpion lyeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-topsell/some-learned-writers-have-compared-a-scorpion-to-an-epigram-because/) [Edward Topsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-topsell/) > [“Most sane human beings’ chances of being alive in a thousand years’ time are a hundred times higher than their chances of being sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-chances-of-being-alive-in-a-thousand-years/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Some people who have been working out regularly for months or even years are still out of shape because the number of cheat days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-who-have-been-working-out-regularly-for-months-or-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I am mistaken if a single epigram included fails to preserve at least some faint thrill of the emotion through which it had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-quiller-couch/i-am-mistaken-if-a-single-epigram-included-fails-to-preserve-at-least/) [Arthur Quiller-Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-quiller-couch/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. In the same way, a small picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea-of-infinity-an-epigram-may/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Many a survivor of a plane crash who is or was against cannibalism and had never eaten human flesh once found themselves in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-a-survivor-of-a-plane-crash-who-is-or-was-against-cannibalism/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Helen Rowland > [A husband is what's left of the lover after the nerve has been extracted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-husband-is-what-s-left-of-the-lover-after-the-nerve-has-been/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A Bachelor of Arts is one who makes love to a lot of women, and yet has the art to remain a bachelor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-bachelor-of-arts-is-one-who-makes-love-to-a-lot-of-women-and-yet/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/love-like-a-chicken-salad-or-restaurant-hash-must-be-taken-with-blind/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A man snatches the first kiss, pleads for the second, demands the third, takes the fourth, accepts the fifth - and endures all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-snatches-the-first-kiss-pleads-for-the-second-demands-the-third/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [Between lovers a little confession is a dangerous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/between-lovers-a-little-confession-is-a-dangerous-thing/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A man loses his illusions first, his teeth second, and his follies last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-loses-his-illusions-first-his-teeth-second-and-his-follies-last/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A man's desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-s-desire-for-a-son-is-usually-nothing-but-the-wish-to-duplicate/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [When a man makes a woman his wife it's the highest compliment he can pay her – and usually it's the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/when-a-man-makes-a-woman-his-wife-it-s-the-highest-compliment-he-can/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [There are only two kinds of men; the dead and the deadly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-men-the-dead-and-the-deadly/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [After a few years of marriage a man can look right at a woman without seeing her and a woman can see right through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/after-a-few-years-of-marriage-a-man-can-look-right-at-a-woman-without/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [“The follies which a man regrets most, in his life, are those he didn't commit when he had the opportunity".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/the-follies-which-a-man-regrets-most-in-his-life-are-those-he-didn-t/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A husband is what is left of a lover, after the nerve has been extracted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-husband-is-what-is-left-of-a-lover-after-the-nerve-has-been/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [What a man calls his 'conscience' is merely the mental action that follows a sentimental reaction after too much wine or love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/what-a-man-calls-his-conscience-is-merely-the-mental-action-that/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [It is easier to keep half a dozen lovers guessing than to keep one lover after he has stopped guessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/it-is-easier-to-keep-half-a-dozen-lovers-guessing-than-to-keep-one/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [Kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/kissing-a-smoker-is-like-licking-an-ashtray/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) [Explore all 140 Helen Rowland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) ## More Epigram quotes > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. In the same way, a small picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea-of-infinity-an-epigram-may/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I am mistaken if a single epigram included fails to preserve at least some faint thrill of the emotion through which it had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-quiller-couch/i-am-mistaken-if-a-single-epigram-included-fails-to-preserve-at-least/) [Arthur Quiller-Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-quiller-couch/) > [“In youth audacity is wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allingham/in-youth-audacity-is-wise/) [William Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-allingham/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [What is an epigram? A dwarfish whole, its body brevity, and wit its soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/what-is-an-epigram-a-dwarfish-whole-its-body-brevity-and-wit-its-soul/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“My whole life is an epigram calculated to make people aware.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-whole-life-is-an-epigram-calculated-to-make-people-aware/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some people who have been working out regularly for months or even years are still out of shape because the number of cheat days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-who-have-been-working-out-regularly-for-months-or-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings’ chances of being alive in a thousand years’ time are a hundred times higher than their chances of being sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-chances-of-being-alive-in-a-thousand-years/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Some learned writers . . . have compared a Scorpion to an Epigram . . . because as the sting of the Scorpion lyeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-topsell/some-learned-writers-have-compared-a-scorpion-to-an-epigram-because/) [Edward Topsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-topsell/) > [I summed up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-summed-up-all-systems-in-a-phrase-and-all-existence-in-an-epigram/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Browse all 118 Epigram quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigram/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Rowland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadly-new-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Epigram" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadly-new-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/helen-rowland-3053_epigram_better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadl_3159280.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Better a lively old epigram than a deadly new one.” — Helen Rowland", "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": "Helen Rowland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Better a lively old epigram than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadly-new-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/better-a-lively-old-epigram-than-a-deadly-new-one/#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 } } ] } ```