Who said “Englishmen are babes in philosophy and so prefer faction-fighting to the labor of its…”?

Verified

William Butler Yeats. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to Olivia Shakespear (24 March 1927)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to Olivia Shakespear (24 March 1927).

APA

Yeats, W. B. (n.d.). Englishmen are babes in philosophy and so prefer faction-fighting to the labor of its unfamiliar thought. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22311-englishmen-are-babes-in-philosophy-and-so-prefer/

MLA

Yeats, William Butler. “Englishmen are babes in philosophy and so prefer faction-fighting to the labor of its unfamiliar thought.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22311-englishmen-are-babes-in-philosophy-and-so-prefer/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Yeats, William Butler. “Englishmen are babes in philosophy and so prefer faction-fighting to the labor of its unfamiliar thought.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22311-englishmen-are-babes-in-philosophy-and-so-prefer/.

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All 36 William Butler Yeats quotes →