--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness…" description: "\"Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial spring.\" — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png" --- # Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial… ![“Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial spring.” quote by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png) > “Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial spring.” [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wit appears in bursts like a fountain, while kindness is a constant, reliable source that endures. **In simple terms:** Wit is occasional; kindness is constant. Key Takeaway Cultivate lasting kindness. Themes kindness creativity consistency Mood inspirational thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily interactions - leadership - teaching - community building Key Concepts psychology human nature Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance wit with kindness? - When does wit become harmful? A Different Perspective Wit can be superficial if not grounded in kindness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Intermittent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intermittent/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [Falsehood is a perennial spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/falsehood-is-a-perennial-spring/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Laughter is an interior convulsion, producing a distortion of the features and accompanied by inarticulate noises. It is infectious and, though intermittent, incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/laughter-is-an-interior-convulsion-producing-a-distortion-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Music never stops; it is only the listening that is intermittent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/music-never-stops-it-is-only-the-listening-that-is-intermittent/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Events are the ephemera of history; they pass across its stage like fireflies, hardly glimpsed before they settle back into darkness and as often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernand-braudel/events-are-the-ephemera-of-history-they-pass-across-its-stage-like/) [Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernand-braudel/) > [The intermittent depression that had shadowed him throughout his adult life was about to envelop him once again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/the-intermittent-depression-that-had-shadowed-him-throughout-his/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [The human mind can bear plenty of reality but not too much intermittent gloom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-drabble/the-human-mind-can-bear-plenty-of-reality-but-not-too-much/) [Margaret Drabble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-drabble/) > [A novelist can shift view-point if it comes off. ... Indeed, this power to expand and contract perception (of which the shifting view-point is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/a-novelist-can-shift-view-point-if-it-comes-off-indeed-this-power-to/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [suicide is absolute, and if you think you will survive by hiding who you really are, you are sadly misled: there is no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/suicide-is-absolute-and-if-you-think-you-will-survive-by-hiding-who/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [Music is perpetual, and only the hearing is intermittent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/music-is-perpetual-and-only-the-hearing-is-intermittent/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [And the way Though discontinuous, and intermittent, sometimes Not heard of for years at a time, did, Nonetheless, move up, although, to his surprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/and-the-way-though-discontinuous-and-intermittent-sometimes-not-heard/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [My desire for knowledge is intermittent; but my desire to bathe my head in atmospheres unknown to my feet is perennial and constant. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/my-desire-for-knowledge-is-intermittent-but-my-desire-to-bathe-my/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ At times the \[radio telescope\] records exhibited a feature characteristic of interference, occurring some time later than the passage of the two known sources.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-franklin/at-times-the-radio-telescope-records-exhibited-a-feature/) Kenneth Franklin > [Traditional Chinese art looked at the Earth from a Confucian mountain top; Japanese art looked closely around screens; Italian Renaissance art surveyed conquered nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/traditional-chinese-art-looked-at-the-earth-from-a-confucian-mountain/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [One of the reasons intermittent fasting can work is that it reconnects you with what hunger feels like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mohr/one-of-the-reasons-intermittent-fasting-can-work-is-that-it/) [Chris Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mohr/) > [The greatest trouble with most of us is that our demands upon ourselves are so feeble, the call upon the great within of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-greatest-trouble-with-most-of-us-is-that-our-demands-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## More by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach > [An opinion may be controverted; a prejudice, never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/an-opinion-may-be-controverted-a-prejudice-never/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Parents forgive their children least readily for the faults they themselves instilled in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/parents-forgive-their-children-least-readily-for-the-faults-they/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Genius points the way, talent takes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/genius-points-the-way-talent-takes-it/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Whoever prefers the material comforts of life over intellectual wealth is like the owner of a palace who moves into the servants’ quarters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/whoever-prefers-the-material-comforts-of-life-over-intellectual/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [The incurable ills are the imaginary ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/the-incurable-ills-are-the-imaginary-ills/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“Much less evil would be done on earth if evil could not be done in the name of good. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/much-less-evil-would-be-done-on-earth-if-evil-could-not-be-done-in/) [Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Those whom we support hold us up in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-whom-we-support-hold-us-up-in-life/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pity is love in undress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pity-is-love-in-undress/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Nothing makes us more cowardly and unconscionable than the desire to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/nothing-makes-us-more-cowardly-and-unconscionable-than-the-desire-to/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) [Explore all 158 Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## More Fountain quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [...O my heart! Love God as the chatrik loves the rain drops, Who even when fountains are full and the land green, Is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/o-my-heart-love-god-as-the-chatrik-loves-the-rain-drops-who-even-when/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The fountain of youth is like the monkey's paw in the W. W. Jacobs story. It never ends well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-monette/the-fountain-of-youth-is-like-the-monkey-s-paw-in-the-w-w-jacobs/) [Sarah Monette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-monette/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Managing our emotions increases intuition and clarity. It helps us self-regulate our brain chemicals and internal hormones. It gives us natural highs, the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-childre/managing-our-emotions-increases-intuition-and-clarity-it-helps-us/) [Doc Childre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-childre/) > [The Bible is the fountain of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-franklin-rutherford/the-bible-is-the-fountain-of-truth/) [Joseph Franklin Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-franklin-rutherford/) > [Men cannot labor on always. They must have intervals of relaxation. They cannot sleep through these intervals. What are they to do? Why, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orville-dewey/men-cannot-labor-on-always-they-must-have-intervals-of-relaxation/) [Orville Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orville-dewey/) > [The media, of course, loves to make claims about the fountain of youth. Don't believe it. No one has it. But we're getting close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/the-media-of-course-loves-to-make-claims-about-the-fountain-of-youth/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The fountain of my heart dried up within me,-- With nought that loved me, and with nought to love, I stood upon the desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-robert-maturin/the-fountain-of-my-heart-dried-up-within-me-with-nought-that-loved-me/) [Charles Robert Maturin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-robert-maturin/) > [They were dancing around the fountain, arm in arm, in an old Dutch dance, their cheeks touching, their hands entwined. They had no music;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/they-were-dancing-around-the-fountain-arm-in-arm-in-an-old-dutch/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“But is it such a bad thing to live like this for just a little while? Just for a few months of one’s life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-is-it-such-a-bad-thing-to-live-like-this-for-just-a-little-while/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) Browse all 585 Fountain quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial spring.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness-is-a-perennial-spring/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fountain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness-is-a-perennial-spring/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_fountain_wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness_329969.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness is a perennial spring.” — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "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": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wit is an intermittent fountain; kindness...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness-is-a-perennial-spring/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/wit-is-an-intermittent-fountain-kindness-is-a-perennial-spring/#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 } } ] } ```