--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of those few fools, who with ill stars…" description: "\"“Of those few fools, who with ill stars are curst, Sure scribbling fools, called poets, fare the worst: For they're a sort of fools which fortune makes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/william-congreve-5161_fools_of-those-few-fools-who-with-ill-stars-ar_930408.jpg" --- # Of those few fools, who with ill stars are curst, Sure… ![“Of those few fools, who with ill stars are curst, Sure scribbling fools, called poets, fare the worst: For they're a sort of fools which fortune makes, And, after she has made them fools, forsakes. With Nature's oafs 'tis quite a different case, For Fortune favours all her idiot race. In her own…” quote by William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/william-congreve-5161_fools_of-those-few-fools-who-with-ill-stars-ar_930408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/william-congreve-5161_fools_of-those-few-fools-who-with-ill-stars-ar_930408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/william-congreve-5161_fools_of-those-few-fools-who-with-ill-stars-ar_930408.jpg) > ““Of those few fools, who with ill stars are curst, Sure scribbling fools, called poets, fare the worst: For they're a sort of fools which fortune makes, And, after she has made them fools, forsakes. With Nature's oafs 'tis quite a different case, For Fortune favours all her idiot race. In her own nest the cuckoo eggs we find, Over which she broods to hatch the changeling kind: No portion for her own she has to spare, So much she dotes on her adopted care. Poets are bubbles, by the town drawn in, Suffered at first some trifling stakes to win: But what unequal hazards do they run! Each time they write they venture all they've won: The Squire that's buttered still, is sure to be undone. This author, heretofore, has found your favour, But pleads no merit from his past behaviour. To build on that might prove a vain presumption, Should grant to poets made admit resumption, And in Parnassus he must lose his seat, If that be found a forfeited estate.”” [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poets are vulnerable to fickle fortune; they risk reputation and livelihood for their art. **In simple terms:** Poets risk much for art. Key Takeaway Accept the risk of creation. Themes art fortune vulnerability Mood melancholic reflective Type literary cautionary When to use this quote - publishing - court patronage - public criticism - financial instability Key Concepts fickleness reputation creative risk Questions to Reflect On - Can you balance artistic integrity with practical needs? - What safeguards can protect creative work? A Different Perspective Poets may also find lasting fame despite early setbacks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Poets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-poets-757745/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poets Admit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets-admit-1511157/) [Poets Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets-bubbles-1511156/) [Scribbling Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scribbling-fools-1511154/) ## Related quotes > [There are two classes of men called poets. The one cultivates life, the other art,... one satisfies hunger, the other gratifies the palate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-are-two-classes-of-men-called-poets-the-one-cultivates-life-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Nobody is publicly accepted as an expert on poetry unless he displays the sign of poet, mathematician, etc., but universal men want no sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/nobody-is-publicly-accepted-as-an-expert-on-poetry-unless-he-displays/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“I only say that at certain strange epochs it is necessary to have another kind of priests, called poets, actually to remind men that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-only-say-that-at-certain-strange-epochs-it-is-necessary-to-have/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [I don't deny," he said, "that there should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. I only say that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-deny-he-said-that-there-should-be-priests-to-remind-men-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nearly all men and women are poetical, to some extent, but very few can be called poets. There are great poets, small poets, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/nearly-all-men-and-women-are-poetical-to-some-extent-but-very-few-can/) [Orson F. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/) > [“Writers are not called poets just because they make words rhyme. Poets respond to an inner calling that enables them to add symmetry to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-casperson/writers-are-not-called-poets-just-because-they-make-words-rhyme-poets/) [John Casperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-casperson/) > [If happiness in self-content is placed, The wise are wretched, and fools only blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/if-happiness-in-self-content-is-placed-the-wise-are-wretched-and/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/poems-are-made-by-fools-like-me-but-only-god-can-make-a-tree/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) ## More by William Congreve > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/he-who-closes-his-ears-to-the-views-of-others-shows-little-confidence/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing, through the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/uncertainty-and-expectation-are-the-joys-of-life-security-is-an/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“One no more owes one's beauty to a lover than one's wit to an echo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/one-no-more-owes-one-s-beauty-to-a-lover-than-one-s-wit-to-an-echo/) [william congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I confess freely to you, I could never look long upon a monkey, without very mortifying reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-confess-freely-to-you-i-could-never-look-long-upon-a-monkey-without/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Marriage is honourable, as you say; and if so, wherefore should Cuckoldom be a Discredit, being deriv'd from so honourable a Root?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/marriage-is-honourable-as-you-say-and-if-so-wherefore-should/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [A wit should no more be sincere, than a woman constant; one argues a decay of parts, as to other of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/a-wit-should-no-more-be-sincere-than-a-woman-constant-one-argues-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [They are at the end of the gallery; retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/they-are-at-the-end-of-the-gallery-retired-to-their-tea-and-scandal/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is in true Beauty, as in Courage, somewhat which narrow Souls cannot dare to admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-in-true-beauty-as-in-courage-somewhat-which-narrow-souls/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-am-a-fool-i-know-it-and-yet-heaven-help-me-i-m-poor-enough-to-be-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is nothing more unbecoming a man of quality than to laugh ... 'tis such a vulgar expression of the passion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-nothing-more-unbecoming-a-man-of-quality-than-to-laugh-tis/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/honor-is-a-public-enemy-and-conscience-a-domestic-and-he-that-would/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“True, 'tis an unhappy circumstance of life that love should ever die before us, and that the man so often should outlive the lover.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/true-tis-an-unhappy-circumstance-of-life-that-love-should-ever-die/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Believe it, Men have ever been the same, And all the Golden Age is but a Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/believe-it-men-have-ever-been-the-same-and-all-the-golden-age-is-but/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [She likes herself, yet others hates, For that which in herself she prizes; And while she laughs at them, forgets She is the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/she-likes-herself-yet-others-hates-for-that-which-in-herself-she/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) [Explore all 103 William Congreve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## More Fools quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [“stultorum infnitus est numerus (the number of fools is infinite)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes/stultorum-infnitus-est-numerus-the-number-of-fools-is-infinite/) [Ecclesiastes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ecclesiastes/) > [Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-wise-are-wise-only-because-they-love-the-fool-are-fools-only/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The magi, as you know, were wise men — wonderfully wise men — who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-magi-as-you-know-were-wise-men-wonderfully-wise-men-who-brought/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“that's what i mean about cats. they're always trying to make fools of us humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-jackson-braun/that-s-what-i-mean-about-cats-they-re-always-trying-to-make-fools-of/) [Lilian Jackson Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-jackson-braun/) > [“I wish one half the world were not fools, and the other half idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/i-wish-one-half-the-world-were-not-fools-and-the-other-half-idiots/) [Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/) > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Today is April Fools Day. Believe nothing, and trust no one...So it's like any other day. Right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-april-fools-day-believe-nothing-and-trust-no-one-so-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,204 Fools quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Of those few fools, who with ill stars are curst, Sure scribbling fools, called poets, fare the worst: For they're a sort of fools which fortune makes, And, after she has made them fools, forsakes. With Nature's oafs 'tis quite a different case, For Fortune favours all her idiot race. In her own nest the cuckoo eggs we find, Over which she broods to hatch the changeling kind: No portion for her own she has to spare, So much she dotes on her adopted care. Poets are bubbles, by the town drawn in, Suffered at first some trifling stakes to win: But what unequal hazards do they run! Each time they write they venture all they've won: The Squire that's buttered still, is sure to be undone. This author, heretofore, has found your favour, But pleads no merit from his past behaviour. 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