Who said “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”?

Verified

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

SourceThe Second Coming (1919)

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For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Second Coming (1919).

APA

Yeats, W. B. (n.d.). The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3947-the-best-lack-all-conviction-while-the-worst/

MLA

Yeats, William Butler. “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3947-the-best-lack-all-conviction-while-the-worst/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Yeats, William Butler. “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3947-the-best-lack-all-conviction-while-the-worst/.

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