Full Idea
The best thing we can do, so long as we lack a perfect knowledge of our feelings, is to conceive a right rule of life, or sure maxims of life - to commit these to memory, and constantly apply these to particular cases.
Gist of Idea
If we are not wholly wise, we should live by good rules and maxims
Source
Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], V Pr 10)
Book Reference
Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics', ed/tr. White,WH/Stirling,AH [Wordsworth 2001], p.236
A Reaction
This seems to be the role of folk wisdom - to try to plant guidance in the heads of the not-so-wise.