Source identified
Read & copy the quotation
“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”
- Date
- c. 1597
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Ford
Meaning of “Better three hours too soon than a minute…”
Punctuality is treated as prudence: arriving early creates margin, while lateness spends time that cannot be restored.
Where does it come from?
The Merry Wives of Windsor; a comic line about timing and punctuality.
Why the local voice matters
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 2, Scene 2: Ford speaks this line while plotting to catch Falstaff and suspecting his wife. His anxious jealousy complicates a standalone punctuality maxim.
