---
title: "Neither have they hearts to stay, Nor wit enough to run away. — Samuel Butler Quote #19 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "Neither have they hearts to stay, Nor wit enough to run away. — a quote by Samuel Butler."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # Neither have they hearts to stay, Nor wit enough to run away.

[Samuel Butler](https://quotesby.net/Samuel-Butler)\#19

[Choices](https://quotesby.net/topics/choices/)[Judgment](https://quotesby.net/topics/judgment/)[Stubbornness](https://quotesby.net/topics/stubbornness/)[Weakness](https://quotesby.net/topics/weakness/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Butler describes people too stubborn to stop and too weak to flee.In plain termsThey stay when they should leave but lack wit to escape.What can you take from it?Stubbornness traps the weak.

### Where it applies

- conflict
- decision making
- work

### Putting it to work

- learn to leave
- assess risks

### Questions to consider

- When should you leave?
- What traps you now?

### Another view

Sometimes staying is brave; this targets poor judgment.

## More from Samuel Butler

1. > What makes all doctrines plain and clear? About two hundred pounds a year. And that which was proved true before Prove false again? Two hundred more.

[Permalink to quote \#18](https://quotesby.net/Samuel-Butler/18/ "Permalink to quote 18")
2. > Love is a boy, by poets styled, Then spare the rod and spoil the child.

[Permalink to quote \#17](https://quotesby.net/Samuel-Butler/17/ "Permalink to quote 17")
3. > To swallow gudgeons ere they're catched, And count their chickens ere they're hatched.

[Permalink to quote \#16](https://quotesby.net/Samuel-Butler/16/ "Permalink to quote 16")

## Related quotes

1. > Sometimes the things we have to do are objectionable in the eyes of others.

[Richard Perle](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Perle)[Richard Perle quote \#4](https://quotesby.net/Richard-Perle/4/ "Permalink to quote 4")
2. > I've never been 'anti' drugs:I just choose not to use them. If you wanna get fucked up:more power to ya.

[Aaron North](https://quotesby.net/Aaron-North)[Aaron North quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Aaron-North/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")
3. > It is said that a wise man who stands firm is a statesman, and a foolish man who stands firm is a catastrophe.

[Hyman G. Rickover](https://quotesby.net/Hyman-G.-Rickover)[Hyman G. Rickover quote \#10](https://quotesby.net/Hyman-G.-Rickover/10/ "Permalink to quote 10")

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