ProverbHuman NatureEnglish origin1785

Variety is the spice of life

Meaning: Diversity makes life interesting.

Who said it? William Cowper, The Task, 1785

Origin: From William Cowper's long poem The Task (1785): "Variety's the very spice of life, / That gives it all its flavour." Cowper wrote it in a passage about ever-changing fashions, but the line was quoted so often that it became a proverb in its own right.

Equivalents in Spanish, German, and Italian

  • Spanish: En la variedad está el gusto (literally: In variety lies pleasure)
  • German: Abwechslung erfreut (literally: Variety delights)
  • Italian: Il mondo è bello perché è vario (literally: The world is beautiful because it is varied)

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