Jonathan Swift, Thoughts on Various Subjects from Miscellanies (1711-1726)
  • Jonathan Swift, Essay on the Fates of Clergymen (1728).

When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.

— Jonathan Swift on Dunce

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." in the context of "Jonathan Swift, Thoughts on Various Subjects from Miscellanies (1711-1726)
  • Jonathan Swift, Essay on the Fates of Clergymen (1728)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Dunce" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Jonathan Swift

About Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist. Acclaimed as one of the finest prose satirists in the English language, he was also well known for his poetry and essays.