Cheese Quote by Jonathan Swift
“Wisdom is a fox who, after long hunting, will at last cost you the pains to dig out; it is a cheese, which, by how much the richer, has the thicker, the homlier, and the coarser coat; and whereof to a judicious palate, the maggots are best. It is a sack posset, wherein the deeper you go, you'll find it the sweeter. Wisdom is a hen, whose cackling we must value and consider, because it is attended with an egg. But lastly, it is a nut, which, unless you choose with judgment, may cost you a tooth, and pay you with nothing but a worm.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, 1726
Wisdom appears in many forms, each with hidden costs and rewards, requiring careful judgment to reap benefits.
In simple terms: Wisdom has many faces and hidden costs.
Key Takeaway
Seek wisdom, weigh its costs.
Themes
wisdom
judgment
metaphor
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
philosophical
metaphorical
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- financial investments
- relationships
- learning processes
Key Concepts
cost
reward
perception
risk
valuation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate hidden costs?
- When does caution become fear?
A Different Perspective
Wisdom can be misinterpreted, leading to poor choices.
![“HAMLET [...] we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table; that's the end. CLAUDIUS Alas, alas. HAMLET A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/28d/william-shakespeare-4_beggar_hamlet-we-fat-all-creatures-else-to-fat_188869.jpg)
