If wisdom and diamonds grew on the same tree we could soon tell how much men loved wisdom.

Washburn’s aphorism contrasts professed admiration for wisdom with the demonstrable zeal people show for material wealth. By imagining wisdom and diamonds as equally accessible “fruit” on the same tree, the line proposes a simple test of values: what would people pick, and in what quantity? The implied answer is that many who praise wisdom in the abstract would still reach first for diamonds, revealing a gap between moral/intellectual ideals and actual desire. The quote functions as social satire and as a moral prompt, urging readers to examine whether they pursue understanding and good judgment with anything like the intensity they devote to money, status, or luxury.