Who said “There is nothing more demoralizing than a small but adequate income.”?

Verified

Edmund Wilson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceMemoirs of Hecate County (1946), Ch. 4, p. 136, [New York Review Books Classics (2004)]

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“There is nothing more demoralizing than a small but adequate income.”
— Edmund Wilson
VerifiedMemoirs of Hecate County (1946), Ch. 4, p. 136, [New York Review Books Classics (2004)] · evidenceIncome

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Memoirs of Hecate County (1946), Ch. 4, p. 136, [New York Review Books Classics (2004)].

APA

Wilson, E. (n.d.). There is nothing more demoralizing than a small but adequate income. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/24012-there-is-nothing-more-demoralizing-than-a-small/

MLA

Wilson, Edmund. “There is nothing more demoralizing than a small but adequate income.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/24012-there-is-nothing-more-demoralizing-than-a-small/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Wilson, Edmund. “There is nothing more demoralizing than a small but adequate income.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/24012-there-is-nothing-more-demoralizing-than-a-small/.

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