Who said “Genius must be born, and never can be taught.”?

Verified

John Dryden. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceEpistle to Congreve (1693), l. 60

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Epistle to Congreve (1693), l. 60.

APA

Dryden, J. (n.d.). Genius must be born, and never can be taught. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19560-genius-must-be-born-and-never-can-be/

MLA

Dryden, John. “Genius must be born, and never can be taught.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19560-genius-must-be-born-and-never-can-be/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Dryden, John. “Genius must be born, and never can be taught.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19560-genius-must-be-born-and-never-can-be/.

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“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
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VerifiedEdison claimed authorship of this statement in a 1927 letter: "it is quite true I once made the statement that genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration, and I am still of the same opinion". · evidenceDetails & citeGenius

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