Common sense and good nature will do a lot to make the pilgrimage of life not too difficult.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Knowledge, without common sense, says Lee, is “folly; without method, it is waste; without kindness, it is fanaticism; without religion, it is death.” But with common sense, it is wisdom; with method, it is power; with charity, it is beneficence; with religion, it is virtue, and life, and peace.
—Frederic William Farrar (1831–1903) English Clergyman, Writer
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
—Rene Descartes (1596–1650) French Mathematician, Philosopher
We all have a little weakness, which is very natural but rather misleading, for supposing that this epoch must be the end of the world because it will be the end of us. How future generations will get on without us is indeed, when we come to think of it, quite a puzzle. But I suppose they will get on somehow, and may possibly venture to revise our judgments as we have revised earlier judgments
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Common sense is compelled to make its way without the enthusiasm of anyone; all admit it grudgingly.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
There is nothing a man of good sense dreads in a wife so much as her having more sense than himself.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
A handful of common sense is worth a bushel of learning.
—Common Proverb
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Common sense is, of all kinds, the most uncommon.—It implies good judgment, sound discretion, and true and practical wisdom applied to common life.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Common sense is only a modification of talent. Genius is an exaltation of it. The difference is, therefore, in degree, not nature.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Common sense is not so common.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Science is nothing but trained and organized common sense, differing from the latter only as a veteran may from a raw recruit, and its methods differ from those of common sense, only as the guardsman’s cut and thrust differ from the manner in which a savage wields his club.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
No one tests the depth of a river with both feet.
—African Proverb
All truth, in the long run, is only common sense clarified.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
To see what is in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
To act with common sense according to the moment, is the best wisdom I know; and the best philosophy is to do one’s duties, take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one’s lot; bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it, whatever it is; and despise affectation.
—Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (1717–97) English Art Historian, Man of Letters, Politician
The biggest shortage of all is the shortage of common sense.
—Unknown
The figure which a man makes in life, the reception which he meets with in company, the esteem paid him by his acquaintance—all these depend as much upon his good sense and judgment, as upon any other part, of his character. A man of the best intentions, and farthest removed from all injustice and violence, would never be able to make himself much regarded, without a moderate share of parts and understanding.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
One pound of learning requires ten pounds of common sense to apply it.
—Persian Proverb
A man must have a certain amount of intelligent ignorance to get anywhere.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Common Sense is very uncommon.
—Horace Greeley (1811–72) American Elected Rep, Politician, Reformer, Editor
Why level downward to our dullest perception always, and praise that as common sense? The commonest sense is the sense of men asleep, which they express by snoring.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
In the war for individual rights, common sense becomes the first and major casualty.
—Unknown
He who does not have common sense at age thirty will never have it.
—Common Proverb
Common sense is in spite of, not as the result of education.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
The two World Wars came in part, like much modern literature and art, because men, whose nature is to tire of everything in turn, tired of common sense and civilization.
—F. L. Lucas (1894–1967) English Literary Critic, Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Common sense is the genius of humanity.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet