The Morning Post on his appointment as Lord Chancellor, quoted in John Campbell, F. E. Smith: First Earl of Birkenhead (1983), p. 460
• Often misquoted as "carrying a joke too far".
• Often misquoted as "carrying a joke too far".
“
The country was as much amused as affronted when Sir F. E. Smith became Attorney-General. But it is carrying a joke beyond the limits of pleasantry to make him Lord Chancellor. There are gradations in these matters.
— The
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The country was as much amused as affronted when Sir F. E. Smith became Attorney-General. But it is carrying a joke beyond the limits of pleasantry to make him Lord Chancellor. There are gradations in these matters." in the context of "The Morning Post on his appointment as Lord Chancellor, quoted in John Campbell, F. E. Smith: First Earl of Birkenhead (1983), p. 460
• Often misquoted as "carrying a joke too far"." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead" (Quotes about Smith)
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 F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, GCSI, PC (12 July 1872 – 30 September 1930) was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living and drinking. He is perhaps best remembered today as Winston Churchill's greatest personal and political friend until Smith's untimely death at age 58.
About F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, GCSI, PC (12 July 1872 – 30 September 1930) was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living and drinking. He is perhaps best remembered today as Winston Churchill's greatest personal and political friend until Smith's untimely death at age 58.
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