Who said “A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package.”?

Verified

Harry Emerson Fosdick. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceA very similar statement has become attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but apparently only in recent decades: "A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." This seems to have been first attributed to Franklin in The New Age Magazine Vol. 66 (1958)

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“A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package.”
— Harry Emerson Fosdick
VerifiedA very similar statement has become attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but apparently only in recent decades: "A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." This seems to have been first attributed to Franklin in The New Age Magazine Vol. 66 (1958) · evidenceConceit

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: A very similar statement has become attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but apparently only in recent decades: "A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." This seems to have been first attributed to Franklin in The New Age Magazine Vol. 66 (1958).

APA

Fosdick, H. E. (n.d.). A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8241-a-person-wrapped-up-in-himself-makes-a/

MLA

Fosdick, Harry Emerson. “A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8241-a-person-wrapped-up-in-himself-makes-a/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Fosdick, Harry Emerson. “A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8241-a-person-wrapped-up-in-himself-makes-a/.

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