--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great men have been among us; hands that…" description: "\"Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdombetter none:\" — William Wordsworth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg" --- # Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And… ![“Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdombetter none:” quote by William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg) > “Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdombetter none:” [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great individuals possess both thoughtful insight and wise speech, surpassing others in intellect and expression. **In simple terms:** Great men combine thought and speech. Key Takeaway Cultivate both thinking and speaking skills. Themes wisdom expression leadership Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - teaching - mentoring Key Concepts philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance thought and speech? - What wisdom can you share? A Different Perspective May overlook collaborative contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Great saying by great authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-saying-by-great-authors/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-hands-1060965/) [Penn Tongues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penn-tongues-1060967/) [Tongues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongues/) [Tongues Utter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongues-utter-1060966/) ## Related quotes > [Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdom--better none](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that-penn-d-and-tongues-that-utter-2/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate. There is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/you-have-witchcraft-in-your-lips-kate-there-is-more-eloquence-in-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [God is looking for men in whose hands His glory is safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-is-looking-for-men-in-whose-hands-his-glory-is-safe/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [When we too are armed and trained, we can convince men that we have hands, feet, and a heart like yours;.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-franco/when-we-too-are-armed-and-trained-we-can-convince-men-that-we-have-2/) [Veronica Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-franco/) > [“Luce put his hand on the small of my back. Men have an annoying way of doing that. They touch your back as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/luce-put-his-hand-on-the-small-of-my-back-men-have-an-annoying-way-of/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Women's hands, heavy with diamonds, stirred coffee in tiny cups or alighted playfully on a neighboring sleeve. Young men's hands, with costly cuff links…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kennedy-fraser/women-s-hands-heavy-with-diamonds-stirred-coffee-in-tiny-cups-or/) [Kennedy Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kennedy-fraser/) > [Most of all..Real men never ever put your hands on your woman,when your out of control..Trust and believe she won't be the only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-caldwell-iii/most-of-all-real-men-never-ever-put-your-hands-on-your-woman-when/) [William A Caldwell III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-caldwell-iii/) > [How marvelous it all is! 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Thou art a tool of honor in my hands. I press thee, through a yielding soil, with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/spade-thou-art-a-tool-of-honor-in-my-hands-i-press-thee-through-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The eye— it cannot choose but see; we cannot bid the ear be still; our bodies feel, where'er they be, against or with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-eye-it-cannot-choose-but-see-we-cannot-bid-the-ear-be-still-our/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/dreams-books-are-each-a-world-and-books-we-know-are-a-substantial/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Now when the primrose makes a splendid show, And lilies face the March-winds in full blow, And humbler growths as moved with one desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/now-when-the-primrose-makes-a-splendid-show-and-lilies-face-the-march/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Where are your books? - that light bequeathed To beings else forlorn and blind! Up! up! and drink the spirit breathed From dead men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/where-are-your-books-that-light-bequeathed-to-beings-else-forlorn-and/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Knowledge and increase of enduring joy From the great Nature that exists in works Of mighty Poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/knowledge-and-increase-of-enduring-joy-from-the-great-nature-that/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The common growth of Mother Earth Suffices me,-her tears, her mirth, Her humblest mirth and tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-common-growth-of-mother-earth-suffices-me-her-tears-her-mirth-her/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [And he is oft the wisest manWho is not wise at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/and-he-is-oft-the-wisest-manwho-is-not-wise-at-all/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The oldest man he seemed that ever wore grey hairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-oldest-man-he-seemed-that-ever-wore-grey-hairs/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“If the time should ever come when what is now called science, thus familiarised to men, shall be ready to put on, as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/if-the-time-should-ever-come-when-what-is-now-called-science-thus/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Truth takes no account of centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/truth-takes-no-account-of-centuries/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of something far more deeply interfused, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/i-have-felt-a-presence-that-disturbs-me-with-the-joy-of-elevated/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Like thoughts whose very sweetness yielded proof that they were born for immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/like-thoughts-whose-very-sweetness-yielded-proof-that-they-were-born/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) [Explore all 587 William Wordsworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## More Great men quotes > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Great men don't 'move to the center' - great men move the center!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/great-men-don-t-move-to-the-center-great-men-move-the-center/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) > [“The origins of great companies inevitably start with the ideas and enterprise of great men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/the-origins-of-great-companies-inevitably-start-with-the-ideas-and/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I ruined my hands in the ring. The referee kept stepping on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/i-ruined-my-hands-in-the-ring-the-referee-kept-stepping-on-them/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [First at the outset, let me commend the great men and women of the United States Coast Guard for what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/first-at-the-outset-let-me-commend-the-great-men-and-women-of-the/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Pretty girls lie at the centre of straight culture, dyke culture, fag culture. They sell everything, they buy everything, they ruin great men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/pretty-girls-lie-at-the-centre-of-straight-culture-dyke-culture-fag/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [If you're early on in your career and they give you a choice between a great mentor or higher pay, take the mentor every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-druckenmiller/if-you-re-early-on-in-your-career-and-they-give-you-a-choice-between/) [Stanley Druckenmiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-druckenmiller/) > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Browse all 1,454 Great men quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdombetter none:", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Wordsworth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that-penn-d-and-tongues-that-utter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great men" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that-penn-d-and-tongues-that-utter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/william-wordsworth-403_great-men_great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that_881868.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Great men have been among us; hands that penn'd And tongues that utter'd wisdombetter none:” — William Wordsworth", "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": "William Wordsworth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Great men have been among us;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that-penn-d-and-tongues-that-utter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/great-men-have-been-among-us-hands-that-penn-d-and-tongues-that-utter/#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 } } ] } ```