quote · Legacy record
The difference between the reason of man and the instinct of the beast is this that the beast does but know but the man knows that he knows.
The difference between the reason of man and the instinct of the beast is this that the beast does but know but the man knows that he knows.
Approximate author period: c. 1601 AD · renaissance
Meaning not yet available
An individual explanation has not yet been added. We do not substitute a generic description for an interpretation of these particular words.
Begin with source-checked readings and explanations ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- John Donne
Attribution: attributed - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Approximate author period: c. 1601 AD · renaissance
Approximate author-period anchor from life dates 1572 to 1631; Wikidata Q140412, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q140412 (accessed 2026-10-08). Not a quotation composition date.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided quotation collection
Supplied reference C; CSV row 415582; supplied attribution, independently unverified
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.