Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Book ·7 of 348
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
They never said that.
What people say
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
What was actually said
"A little learning is a dangerous thing." Alexander Pope — An Essay on Criticism (1711)
Why it stuck
"Learning" suggests ongoing study; "knowledge" suggests a fixed quantity. The swap shifts Pope's warning from shallow education to partial information.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.