Edward Young, Love of Fame (1725-28), Satire II, line 118.
“
As in smooth oil the razor best is whet, So wit is by politeness sharpest set; Their want of edge from their offence is seen, Both pain us least when exquisitely keen.
— Edward Young on Wit
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "As in smooth oil the razor best is whet, So wit is by politeness sharpest set; Their want of edge from their offence is seen, Both pain us least when exquisitely keen." in the context of "Edward Young, Love of Fame (1725-28), Satire II, line 118." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Wit" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Edward Young
Edward Young (c. 3 July 1683 – April 5, 1765) was an English poet, best remembered for Night-Thoughts.
About Edward Young
Edward Young (c. 3 July 1683 – April 5, 1765) was an English poet, best remembered for Night-Thoughts.
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