Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[imchongjun]

Hello, teachers.
I have a question about "but" in the passage below. I don't understand the logical connection between "Mrs. Mifflin hangs it there whenever she goes away, to remind me." and "But, as our friend Samuel Butler says, he that is stupid in little will also be stupid in much." I tried to understand this like this: "Mrs. Miffling hangs it there... She treats me like a child...But after all he that that is stupid in little things will also be stupid in much." Am I correct?

Also, am I right to think that "he that is stupid in little things" is a person who neglects washing dishes after meals in this context?

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"I have been noticing the warning over the sideboard," said Gilbert. "I hope you will let me help you this evening?" He pointed to a card hanging near the kitchen door. It read:


ALWAYS WASH DISHES IMMEDIATELY AFTER MEALS
IT SAVES TROUBLE


"I'm afraid I don't always obey that precept," said the bookseller as he poured the coffee. "Mrs. Mifflin hangs it there whenever she goes away, to remind me. But, as our friend Samuel Butler says, he that is stupid in little will also be stupid in much. I have a different theory about dish-washing, and I please myself by indulging it.

[Mister Micawber]

.
Mrs Mifflin always reminds him to do the dishes, but he never obeys.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's