APHORISM, n. Predigested wisdom.
APHORISM, n. Predigested wisdom. The flabby wine-skin of his brain Yields to some pathologic strain, And voids from its unstored abysm The driblet of an aphorism. "The Mad Philosopher," 1697
There is nothing more difficult to define than an aphorism.
I'm obsessed with proverbs because, to me, flexing is being able to say the most with the least amount of words.
You can cram a truth into an epigram - the truth, never.
A proverb is good sense brought to a point.
What is a epigram? A dwarfish whole. Its body brevity, and wit its soul.
An aphorism should be like a burr: sting, ... and leave a little soreness.
A proverb is much matter distilled into few words.
In an aphorism, aptness counts for more than truth.
The apothegm is the most portable form of Truth.... It is thus that the proverb answers where the sermon fails, as a well-charged pistol will do more execution than a whole barrel of gunpowder idly expended in the air.
EPIGRAM, n. A short, sharp saying in prose or verse, frequently characterize by acidity or acerbity and sometimes by wisdom.
