--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A skilful leech is better far, than half…" description: "\"A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.\" — Samuel Butler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg" --- # A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of… ![“A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.” quote by Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg) > “A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.” [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A clever, resourceful individual can be more effective than a large, aggressive force. **In simple terms:** Smartness beats brute strength. Key Takeaway Value ingenuity over sheer numbers. Themes strategy resourcefulness power dynamics Mood strategic analytical Type political military When to use this quote - business competition - political campaigns - team leadership Key Concepts military theory economics Questions to Reflect On - When is cleverness insufficient? - How can we balance intellect and strength? A Different Perspective Overreliance on intellect may ignore brute force. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-far-1503740/) [Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Leech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leech/) [Leech Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leech-better-2645538/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Skilful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skilful-531083/) [Skilful Leech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skilful-leech-2645537/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It’s nice to be liked, but it’s better by far to get paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/it-s-nice-to-be-liked-but-it-s-better-by-far-to-get-paid/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [The more varied the characters, the better, as far as I'm concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/the-more-varied-the-characters-the-better-as-far-as-i-m-concerned/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-mcintyre/when-you-learn-to-love-yourself-you-re-better-off-by-far/) [Joey McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-mcintyre/) > [Some dreams are better from a far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-dreams-are-better-from-a-far/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I raised the hand to my head and felt the slick skin of a leech. The creature, whose weight I had mistaken for water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-magnarella/i-raised-the-hand-to-my-head-and-felt-the-slick-skin-of-a-leech-the/) [Brad Magnarella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-magnarella/) > [“Beware the gods and their horrors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-emerson/beware-the-gods-and-their-horrors/) [Kevin Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-emerson/) > [“Ever since she had become my Manager, my raises had become smaller and smaller. The last raise had been a huge leech shaped like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/ever-since-she-had-become-my-manager-my-raises-had-become-smaller-and/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [“The difference between the rich and the poor, is finding true love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-difference-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-is-finding-true-love/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > […"we saw this big dark red leech hanging off his back. We were dancing round yelling: ‘We’ll burn it off! Get the petrol! Stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/we-saw-this-big-dark-red-leech-hanging-off-his-back-we-were-dancing/) [John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/) > [A leech who, having penetrated the shell of a turtle only to find that the creature has long been dead, deems it expedient to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-leech-who-having-penetrated-the-shell-of-a-turtle-only-to-find-that/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A leech that will not quit the skin until sated with blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/a-leech-that-will-not-quit-the-skin-until-sated-with-blood/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“Death was a leech; no matter which side of the spectrum you were on, either dead or alive, it fed. It either acquired your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kreitzer/death-was-a-leech-no-matter-which-side-of-the-spectrum-you-were-on/) [Laura Kreitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kreitzer/) > [“I've spent too much of my life trying to leave the past behind. But the past is a leech. Digs its head into you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-nickless/i-ve-spent-too-much-of-my-life-trying-to-leave-the-past-behind-but/) [Barbara Nickless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-nickless/) > [I think the more rational explanation is that the excision of a five-to-six-foot leech from the surface of a human body means that that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sim/i-think-the-more-rational-explanation-is-that-the-excision-of-a-five/) [Dave Sim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sim/) > [“Regin the Radiant and Emmaline Troy: 'Alrighty then, have it your way- you're on your own... Now, if you come across a leech, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/regin-the-radiant-and-emmaline-troy-alrighty-then-have-it-your-way/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) ## More by Samuel Butler > [Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/is-life-worth-living-this-is-a-question-for-an-embryo-not-for-a-man/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I am the enfant terrible of literature and science. If I cannot, and I know I cannot, get the literary and scientific bigwigs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-am-the-enfant-terrible-of-literature-and-science-if-i-cannot-and-i/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-you-follow-reason-far-enough-it-always-leads-to-conclusions-that/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/all-animals-except-man-know-that-the-principal-business-of-life-is-to/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [The advantage of doing one's praising for oneself is that one can lay it on so thick and exactly in the right places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-advantage-of-doing-one-s-praising-for-oneself-is-that-one-can-lay/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Spare the rod and spoil the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Opinions have vested interests just as men have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/opinions-have-vested-interests-just-as-men-have/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“we must judge men not so much by what they, as by what they make us feel that they have it in them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/we-must-judge-men-not-so-much-by-what-they-as-by-what-they-make-us/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If I die prematurely I shall be saved from being bored to death at my own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-i-die-prematurely-i-shall-be-saved-from-being-bored-to-death-at-my/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Vaccination is the medical sacrament corresponding to baptism. Whether it is or is not more efficacious I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/vaccination-is-the-medical-sacrament-corresponding-to-baptism-whether/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“Having, then, once introduced an element of inconsistency into his system, he was far too consistent not to be inconsistent consistently, and he lapsed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/having-then-once-introduced-an-element-of-inconsistency-into-his/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Brigands demand your money or your life; women require both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/brigands-demand-your-money-or-your-life-women-require-both/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [A man who lets himself be bored is even more contemptible than the bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-man-who-lets-himself-be-bored-is-even-more-contemptible-than-the/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [It is not sufficiently considered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/it-is-not-sufficiently-considered-in-the-hour-of-exultation-that-all/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-oldest-books-are-still-only-just-out-to-those-who-have-not-read/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) [Explore all 355 Samuel Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) [Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half-a-hundred-men-of-war/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half-a-hundred-men-of-war/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/samuel-butler-823_better_a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half_1068042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.” — Samuel Butler", "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": "Samuel Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A skilful leech is better far,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half-a-hundred-men-of-war/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-skilful-leech-is-better-far-than-half-a-hundred-men-of-war/#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 } } ] } ```