Who said “We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who…”?

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Samuel Smiles. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSelf-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct (1859)

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“We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”
— Samuel Smiles
VerifiedSelf-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct (1859) · evidenceMistakes
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct (1859).

APA

Smiles, S. (n.d.). We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29507-we-often-discover-what-will-do-by-finding/

MLA

Smiles, Samuel. “We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29507-we-often-discover-what-will-do-by-finding/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Smiles, Samuel. “We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29507-we-often-discover-what-will-do-by-finding/.

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