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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

4856 Sydney Smith 1771-1845 John Bartlett

 
NUMBER:4856
AUTHOR:Sydney Smith (1771–1845)
QUOTATION:We cultivate literature on a little oatmeal. 1
ATTRIBUTION:Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 23.
 
Note 1.
Mr. Smith, with reference to the “Edinburgh Review,” says: “The motto I proposed for the ‘Review’ was ‘Tenui musam meditamur avena;’ but this was too near the truth to be admitted; so we took our present grave motto from Publius Syrus, of whom none of us had, I am sure, read a single line.” [back]