Hee that hath one hogge makes him fat, and hee that hath one son makes him a foole.
What did George Herbert mean by:

Hee that hath one hogge makes him fat, and hee that hath one son makes him a foole.

This quote is a metaphorical observation about how excessive attention or resources bestowed upon a single object, person, or task can lead to undesirable results. In the first part of the quote, “hee that hath one hogge makes him fat,” it suggests that if a person only has one pig to care for, they might overfeed it because all their resources are concentrated on this single animal. The pig becomes fat not necessarily because it’s healthy but because of overindulgence.

The second part of the quote, “and hee that hath one son makes him a foole,” applies the same principle to parenting. It suggests that parents who have only one child might spoil them by giving them undivided attention and fulfilling all their desires without teaching them about boundaries and self-discipline. This could lead to the child becoming ‘a fool’ – not literally unintelligent but rather naive, entitled or lacking in life skills due to overprotection and indulgence.

Applied in today’s world or personal development context, this quote serves as a caution against focusing too much on just one aspect of our lives at the expense of others. For instance, if we focus solely on career success while neglecting other facets like health and relationships, we may find ourselves successful yet unfulfilled or stressed out.

In terms of personal development also, concentrating exclusively on strengthening our strengths while ignoring our weaknesses may make us imbalanced individuals. Similarly with children too: excessively sheltering them from adversity might prevent them from developing resilience and problem-solving skills needed for adult life.

Thus Herbert’s wisdom encourages balance in allocation of resources whether material (like food) or immaterial (like time), reminding us that moderation is key in nurturing healthy growth – be it animals under our care or facets within ourselves.

Created with ❤️ | ©2025 Quotes Guide| Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer| Imprint | Opt-out Preferences

 

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?