Who said “Books should to one of these fours ends conduce, for wisdom, piety, delight, or use.”?

Verified

Sir John Denham. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceOf Prudence (1668)

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Of Prudence (1668).

APA

Denham, S. J. (n.d.). Books should to one of these fours ends conduce, for wisdom, piety, delight, or use. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8547-books-should-to-one-of-these-fours-ends/

MLA

Denham, Sir John. “Books should to one of these fours ends conduce, for wisdom, piety, delight, or use.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8547-books-should-to-one-of-these-fours-ends/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Denham, Sir John. “Books should to one of these fours ends conduce, for wisdom, piety, delight, or use.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8547-books-should-to-one-of-these-fours-ends/.

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