--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A fool must now and then be right, by…" description: "\"A fool must now and then be right, by chance\" — William Cowper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/william-cowper-779_chance_a-fool-must-now-and-then-be-right-by-cha_2384789.png" --- # A fool must now and then be right, by chance ![“A fool must now and then be right, by chance” quote by William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/william-cowper-779_chance_a-fool-must-now-and-then-be-right-by-cha_2384789.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/william-cowper-779_chance_a-fool-must-now-and-then-be-right-by-cha_2384789.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/william-cowper-779_chance_a-fool-must-now-and-then-be-right-by-cha_2384789.png) > “A fool must now and then be right, by chance” [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sometimes a fool is right by luck, not wisdom. **In simple terms:** Fool can be right by chance. Key Takeaway Accept that luck can produce correct outcomes. Themes wisdom luck foolishness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - decision making - risk assessment - learning from errors - strategic planning Key Concepts randomness serendipity Questions to Reflect On - When have you been right by luck? - How do you differentiate skill from chance? A Different Perspective Relying on chance undermines skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-right-913466/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Now and then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now-and-then/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-chance-434374/) ## Related quotes > [How about we give this one more try, one more chance to finally get this right, give me a chance to change your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-about-we-give-this-one-more-try-one-more-chance-to-finally-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['Tis hard if all is false that I advance, A fool must now and then be right, by chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/tis-hard-if-all-is-false-that-i-advance-a-fool-must-now-and-then-be/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [To be a fool at the right time is also an art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/to-be-a-fool-at-the-right-time-is-also-an-art/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [They use to tell me if you love someone then you need to prove it;in my view they are Fool...right or wrong I dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-boy/they-use-to-tell-me-if-you-love-someone-then-you-need-to-prove-it-in/) [Immortal\_boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-boy/) > [Membership of the United Nations gives every member the right to make a fool of himself, and that is a right of which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cabot-lodge-jr/membership-of-the-united-nations-gives-every-member-the-right-to-make/) [Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cabot-lodge-jr/) > [“Being a fool the right way means not being the kind of fool who uncritically accepts so-called real-world truths that attempt to explain (away)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/being-a-fool-the-right-way-means-not-being-the-kind-of-fool-who/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [No one but a fool is always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/no-one-but-a-fool-is-always-right/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I'd rather look a fool than be right and fail to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/i-d-rather-look-a-fool-than-be-right-and-fail-to-act/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Call me a joker, call me a fool, right at this moment I'm totally cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/call-me-a-joker-call-me-a-fool-right-at-this-moment-i-m-totally-cool/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [We like to forget that in fact everything in our life is chance, from our genesis out of the encounter of spermatozoon and egg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/we-like-to-forget-that-in-fact-everything-in-our-life-is-chance-from/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [We seal our fate with the choices we take, but don't give a second thought to the chances we take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/we-seal-our-fate-with-the-choices-we-take-but-don-t-give-a-second/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [Everybody needs a chance to find love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-longoria/everybody-needs-a-chance-to-find-love/) [Eva Longoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-longoria/) > [If you scared to take chances, you'll never have the answers...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/if-you-scared-to-take-chances-you-ll-never-have-the-answers/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) ## More by William Cowper > [And hast thou sworn on every slight pretence, Till perjuries are common as bad pence, While thousands, careless of the damning sin, Kiss the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/and-hast-thou-sworn-on-every-slight-pretence-till-perjuries-are/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [No wild enthusiast could rest, till half the world like him was possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/no-wild-enthusiast-could-rest-till-half-the-world-like-him-was/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Admirals extolled for standing still, or doing nothing with a deal of skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/admirals-extolled-for-standing-still-or-doing-nothing-with-a-deal-of/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“The good we never miss we rarely prize”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-good-we-never-miss-we-rarely-prize/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Thus happiness depends, as nature shows, less on exterior things than most suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/thus-happiness-depends-as-nature-shows-less-on-exterior-things-than/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Stamps God's own name upon a lie just made, To turn a penny in the way of trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/stamps-god-s-own-name-upon-a-lie-just-made-to-turn-a-penny-in-the-way/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But oars alone can ne'er prevail To reach the distant coast; 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Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright. And Satan trembles when he sees. The weakest saint upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/when-we-don-t-pray-we-quit-the-fight-prayer-keeps-the-christian-s/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But animated nature sweeter still, to soothe and satisfy the human ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-animated-nature-sweeter-still-to-soothe-and-satisfy-the-human-ear/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [A fretful temper will divide the closest knot that may be tied, by ceaseless sharp corrosion; a temper passionate and fierce may suddenly your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/a-fretful-temper-will-divide-the-closest-knot-that-may-be-tied-by/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Ten thousand casks, Forever dribbling out their base contents, Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state, Bleed gold for ministers to sport away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/ten-thousand-casks-forever-dribbling-out-their-base-contents-touch-d/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The art of poetry is to touch the passions, and its duty to lead them on the side of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-art-of-poetry-is-to-touch-the-passions-and-its-duty-to-lead-them/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) [Explore all 371 William Cowper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. 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But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. 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