Who said “Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of…”?

Verified

George Eliot. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceImpressions of Theophrastus Such, Ch. 4 (1879); cf. James Russell Lowell 1871: "Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it."

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“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.”
— George Eliot
VerifiedImpressions of Theophrastus Such, Ch. 4 (1879); cf. James Russell Lowell 1871: "Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it." · evidenceFacts

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Impressions of Theophrastus Such, Ch. 4 (1879); cf. James Russell Lowell 1871: "Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it.".

APA

Eliot, G. (n.d.). Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/15741-blessed-is-the-man-who-having-nothing-to/

MLA

Eliot, George. “Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/15741-blessed-is-the-man-who-having-nothing-to/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Eliot, George. “Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/15741-blessed-is-the-man-who-having-nothing-to/.

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