--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On Lincoln: \"A profound common sense is…" description: "\"“On Lincoln: \"A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.”\" — James Russell Lowell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png" --- # On Lincoln: "A profound common sense is the best genius… ![“On Lincoln: "A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.” quote by James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png) > ““On Lincoln: "A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.”” [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A practical, common‑sense approach is more valuable for leadership than lofty intellect. **In simple terms:** Common sense beats brilliance in governing. Key Takeaway Prioritize practical judgment. Themes leadership common sense governance Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political decision making - public speaking - policy development Key Concepts pragmatism political acumen Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance common sense with expertise? - When is intellectual depth essential? A Different Perspective Common sense alone may not address complex ethical dilemmas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-genius-1757606/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Statesmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-statesmanship-2394868/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Lincoln Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-profound-2394869/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Statesmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmanship/) ## Related quotes > [A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/a-profound-common-sense-is-the-best-genius-for-statesmanship/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The best genius is that which absorbs and assimilates everything without doing the least violence to its fundamental destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-best-genius-is-that-which-absorbs-and-assimilates-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best. Genius must always have lapses proportionate to its triumphs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/only-mediocrity-can-be-trusted-to-be-always-at-its-best-genius-must/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/compromise-makes-a-good-umbrella-but-a-poor-roof/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Stern men with empires in their brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/stern-men-with-empires-in-their-brains/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof; it is temporary expedient, often wise in party politics, almost sure to be unwise in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/compromise-makes-a-good-umbrella-but-a-poor-roof-it-is-temporary/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The frenzy of nations is the statesmanship of fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/the-frenzy-of-nations-is-the-statesmanship-of-fate/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The statesman cannot govern without stability of belief, true or false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-statesman-cannot-govern-without-stability-of-belief-true-or-false/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Statesmen have to bend to the collective will of their peoples or be broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/statesmen-have-to-bend-to-the-collective-will-of-their-peoples-or-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The chief element in the art of statesmanship under modern conditions is the ability to elucidate the confused and clamorous interests which converge upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-chief-element-in-the-art-of-statesmanship-under-modern-conditions/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The supreme function of statesmanship is to provide against preventable evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/the-supreme-function-of-statesmanship-is-to-provide-against/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/behind-the-ostensible-government-sits-enthroned-an-invisible/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Statesmanship is harder than politics. Politics is the art of getting along with people, whereas statesmanship is the art of getting along with politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fletcher-knebel/statesmanship-is-harder-than-politics-politics-is-the-art-of-getting/) [Fletcher Knebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fletcher-knebel/) > [...to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/to-befoul-the-unholy-alliance-between-corrupt-business-and-corrupt/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [War can be prevented only by broad-minded statesmanship - a statesmanship that understands how to enlist people's interests in a leading cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/war-can-be-prevented-only-by-broad-minded-statesmanship-a/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) ## More by James Russell Lowell > [We kind o' thought Christ went agin war an' pillage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/we-kind-o-thought-christ-went-agin-war-an-pillage/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [As life runs on, the road grows strange with faces new - and near the end. The milestones into headstones change, Neath every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/as-life-runs-on-the-road-grows-strange-with-faces-new-and-near-the/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Where one person shapes their life by precept and example, there are a thousand who have shaped it by impulse and circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/where-one-person-shapes-their-life-by-precept-and-example-there-are-a/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Granting our wish is one of Fate's saddest jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/granting-our-wish-is-one-of-fate-s-saddest-jokes/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Most religion-mongers have bated their paradises with a bit of toasted cheese. They have tempted the body with large promises of possessions in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/most-religion-mongers-have-bated-their-paradises-with-a-bit-of/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The thing we long for, that we are For one transcendent moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-thing-we-long-for-that-we-are-for-one-transcendent-moment/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [O reputation! dearer far than life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/o-reputation-dearer-far-than-life/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Keats longed for fame, but longed above all to deserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/keats-longed-for-fame-but-longed-above-all-to-deserve-it/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It is beginning to be doubtful whether Parliament and Congress sit in Westminster and Washington, or in the editorial rooms of the leading journals,--so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-is-beginning-to-be-doubtful-whether-parliament-and-congress-sit-in/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [ \[B\]ut in literature, it should be remembered, a thing always becomes his at last who says it best, and thus makes it his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/b-ut-in-literature-it-should-be-remembered-a-thing-always-becomes-his/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It may be glorious to write Thoughts that shall glad the two or three High souls, like those far stars that come in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-may-be-glorious-to-write-thoughts-that-shall-glad-the-two-or-three/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It is the vain endeavor to make ourselves what we are not that has strewn history with so many broken purposes and lives left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-is-the-vain-endeavor-to-make-ourselves-what-we-are-not-that-has/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Take winter as you find him, and he turns out to be a thoroughly honest fellow; with no nonsense in him, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/take-winter-as-you-find-him-and-he-turns-out-to-be-a-thoroughly/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The intellect has only one failing, which, to be sure, is a very considerable one. It has no conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-intellect-has-only-one-failing-which-to-be-sure-is-a-very/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Explore all 471 James Russell Lowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) ## More Common sense quotes > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/below-the-40th-latitude-there-is-no-law-below-the-50th-no-god-below/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“It was true that common sense wasn’t her forte. It wasn’t that she was silly or stupid, but she heard so many more voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/it-was-true-that-common-sense-wasn-t-her-forte-it-wasn-t-that-she-was/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [In Raleigh, partisan battles, power struggles and lawsuits might grab the headlines, but we have to work together where we can. To look beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/in-raleigh-partisan-battles-power-struggles-and-lawsuits-might-grab/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“Listen: Common sense doesn't mean what it used to mean." -Matthias Chalmers, STAIRWAY2 HEAVEN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-thompson/listen-common-sense-doesn-t-mean-what-it-used-to-mean-matthias/) [Chaz Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-thompson/) > [“when people’s brains are in defensive mode, it becomes harder to see common sense. Small disagreements can end up holding back progress beyond reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/when-people-s-brains-are-in-defensive-mode-it-becomes-harder-to-see/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 1,942 Common sense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On Lincoln: \"A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Russell Lowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-the-best-genius-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Common sense" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-the-best-genius-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/james-russell-lowell-561_common-sense_on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-th_1846751.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On Lincoln: \"A profound common sense is the best genius for statesmanship.” — James Russell Lowell", "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": "James Russell Lowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On Lincoln: \"A profound common sense...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-the-best-genius-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/on-lincoln-a-profound-common-sense-is-the-best-genius-for/#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 } } ] } ```