Book Quote by Jonathan Swift
“A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest with Greek he over-run ye, Procure the book for love or money, Translated from Boileau's translation, And quote quotation on quotation.”
About This Quote
The passage satizes pretentious critics who rely on superficial references and obscure quotations to appear scholarly, warning that without genuine understanding they can dominate discourse.
In simple terms: Satire of shallow scholarship
Key Takeaway
Beware superficial authority
Themes
satire
critique of intellectual pretension
literary criticism
knowledge vs. appearance
cultural commentary
Mood
ironic
wry
cautious
Type
satirical
critical
literary
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- literary circles
- online comment sections
- book clubs
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
authenticity
critical thinking
literary history
translation
Practical Applications
- teaching critical reading
- guiding scholarly research
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we differentiate genuine expertise from mere display?
- What role does context play in evaluating quotations?
![“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." [ Thoughts on Various Subjects ]” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c05/jonathan-swift-433_dunces_when-a-great-genius-appears-in-the-world_47884.jpg)
