Puzzle Description Suppressed:Click below to view spoilers

#1: Kurt Kowalczyk (bahabro) on Feb 17, 2019

nice one!

didn't Franklin say something similar?

Thanks, Kurt.

Samples of Ben's wisdom:

"It is ill-manners to silence a fool and cruelty to let him go on."

"Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is ever a mark of folly."

From an NPR article on quotations we get wrong (which I now clearly remember reading):

On the origin of the quote "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt," which has been wrongly attributed to both to Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain

The earliest evidence that I was able to find was a 1907 book by Maurice Switzer. And it seems to contain a lot of original material and it includes the statement "It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." So it's slightly different phrasing, but I believe that is what evolved to generate the modern common version.

It's interesting how the phrase has changed. More recently it became "If you don't have anything to say, don't open your mouth and prove it."

Yeah, I thought Twain was attributed to something similar as well.... thx for the clarification! If you think about it though, I'd almost guess that Switzer was aware of Franklin's quote and modified it. No one would ever know really, but I'll posit he did. Switzer's sounds better, for sure. Even if it came as early as Lincoln, the same could be said. Franklin died 30 yrs before Lincoln was born. At any rate, ppl today know a lot of Franklin's quotes, and I'd imagine it was even more-so the case back then.

I like the quote but I don't get the picture.

Yes, what IS the picture? It looks like the side of an old dime, but is probably Greek art.

Comment Suppressed:Click below to view spoilers

Now I see it. I kept seeing a hat kind of leaning on a desk lamp.

Benjamin Franklin was an ENTP (Myers-Briggs personality type). I doubt it was as easy for him to keep silent as it was to say it is wise to do so. All the EXXPs are talkers. However, Lincoln was an introvert (I believe an INTP, but I don't remember.) Even if he didn't come up with the quote, I can see his draw to it.

Well regardless of who came up with it,I love the quote and your puzzle Teresa.

Thank you both, Aurelian and Aldege! (✬‿✬)

Wonderful Teresa.
Lincoln's quote is so wise!

Thank you, Jewel. My most favorite quote attributed to Abe is "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Or something close to that. It was a real turning point in my life when I realized I could decide to be happy, no matter what was going on in my life. (✬‿✬)

I think Lincoln and Franklin took this piece of wisdom from Proverbs. (chapter 17) Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

I think you are the wise one here, Joanne. Thanks for posting this bit of info. (✬‿✬)

I love the image, but don't understand what it has to do with any president....?

Comment Suppressed:Click below to view spoilers

Show: Spoilers

Goto next topic

You must register and log in to be able to participate in this discussion.