• Unpretending mediocrity is good, and genius is glorious; but a weak flavor of genius in an essentially common person is detestable. It spoils the grand neutrality of a commonplace character, as the rinsings of an unwashed wine-glass spoil a draught of fair water.

  Oliver Wendell Holmes
  American writer and poet 1809-1894
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See all quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes

Subjects in these quotes:

1. unpretending
2. essentially
3. commonplace
4. neutrality
5. wine-glass
6. rinsings

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Unpretending mediocrity is good, and genius is glorious; but a weak flavor of genius in an essentially common person is detestable. It spoils the grand neutrality of a commonplace character, as the rinsings of an unwashed wine-glass spoil a draught of fair water. by : Oliver Wendell Holmes

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