Belief Quote by Sydney Smith
![“Oh, don't tell me of facts, I never believe facts; you know, [George] Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts, except figures.” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/sydney-smith-6523_belief_oh-don-t-tell-me-of-facts-i-never-believ_2292947.jpg)
“Oh, don't tell me of facts, I never believe facts; you know, [George] Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts, except figures.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Parliamentary debate, early 19th century, United Kingdom
Facts are often misleading; numbers can be more deceptive than plain statements.
In simple terms: Facts can be deceptive; numbers worse.
Key Takeaway
Question numbers, seek context.
Themes
skepticism
critical thinking
communication
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- political debate
- media consumption
- education
- data analysis
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
misinformation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify the truth behind statistics?
- When might facts be more reliable than figures?
A Different Perspective
Numbers can be manipulated to mislead.
![“[T]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury hates the abstract truths of science as much as he hates concrete truth in human affairs, now is his time for getting rid of the multiplication table, and…” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/709/sydney-smith-6523_abstract_t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-no_463551.jpg)
