"The Grumbling Hive", line 31, p. 3
“
Vast Numbers throng'd the fruitful Hive;
Yet those vast Numbers made 'em thrive;
Millions endeavouring to supply
Each other's Lust and Vanity.
— Bernard Mandeville
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Vast Numbers throng'd the fruitful Hive;
Yet those vast Numbers made 'em thrive;
Millions endeavouring to supply
Each other's Lust and Vanity." in the context of ""The Grumbling Hive", line 31, p. 3" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Bernard Mandeville" (Quotes, The Fable of the Bees (1714): Quotations are cited from the 1732 edition.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Bernard Mandeville
Bernard Mandeville (or Bernard de Mandeville) (baptised November 20 1670, died January 21 1733) was a Dutch physician, poet and social philosopher who settled in England. Most of his works, including his controversial satire The Fable of the Bees, were written in English.
About Bernard Mandeville
Bernard Mandeville (or Bernard de Mandeville) (baptised November 20 1670, died January 21 1733) was a Dutch physician, poet and social philosopher who settled in England. Most of his works, including his controversial satire The Fable of the Bees, were written in English.
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