"Memory is not wisdom; idiots can by rote repeat volumes. Yet what is wisdom without memory?"

This quote by Martin Farquhar Tupper talks to the idea that merely having a good memory does not relate to having wisdom. It is possible for someone to have an excellent memory and have the ability to recall realities and figures, however this does not necessarily indicate that they are sensible. Wisdom is more than just the ability to bear in mind facts and figures, it is the ability to use that knowledge to make informed decisions and judgments. Without memory, wisdom is not possible, as it is difficult to make wise choices without having the knowledge to do so. This quote is a suggestion that having a good memory is not the like having knowledge, and that wisdom needs more than simply the capability to bear in mind facts and figures.