“Some (men) are wise and some are otherwise” has been cited in print since at least 1659, when it was listed in James Howell’s Proverbs. “Some are wise, and some are otherwise” was written by Jonathan Swift in 1738; “but some folks are wise, and some are otherwise” was written by Tobias Smollett in 1748. Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack for February 1735 advised, “Some are weather-wise, some are otherwise.”
 
Conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin has frequently used “Some of us are wise and some of us are otherwise.” In his show on May 9, 2011, Levin said that he first learned the saying from a Chinese fortune cookie.
 
   
Google Books
A collection of English proverbs digested into a convenient method for the speedy finding any one upon occasion; with short annotations. Whereunto are added local proverbs with their explications, old proverbial rhythmes, less known or exotick proverbial sentences, and Scottish proverbs. By J.R. M.A. and Fellow of the Royal Society.
By John Ray
Cambridge: printed by John Hayes, printer to the University, for W. Morden
1670
Pg. 116:
Some are wise and some are otherwise.
 
Google Books
Encarta Book of Quotations
By Bill Swainson
New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press
2000
Pg. 349:
Some are weather-wise, some are otherwise.
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1735), February
 
Google Books
The adventures of Roderick Random
By Tobias George Smollett
London: printed for J. Osborn, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library
1748
Pg. 29:
She wished I had been bound to some substantial handicraft, such as a weaver or a shoemaker, rather than loiter away my time in learning foolish nonsense, that would never bring me in a penny — but some folks are wise, and some are otherwise.
 
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The works of of the Rev. Jonathan Swift
By Jonathan Swift
Edited by Thomas Sheridan and John Nichols
London: Printed for J. Johnson
1801
Pg. 288:
Lady Smart. Ay, ay; some are wise, and some are otherwise.
(From Polite Conversation, first published in 1738—ed.)
     
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Newspaper Writings: December 1822 - July 1831
By John Stuart Mill
Edited by Ann P. Robson and John P. Robson
Toronto: Univertity of Toronto Press
1986
Pg. 497 (July 1832): 
But, for the present, we take it for granted, that according to the old proverb, “some are wise, and some are otherwise.”
 
21 February 1849, Sprinfield (MA) Republican, pg, 2, col. 4:
A Wise Remark.—Some men are wise, and some are otherwise.
     
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Why Prohibition Is Wrong:
Folly,failures and fallacies of prohibition;speech delivered at Portsmouth, Ohio, September 28th,1911
By Charles Augustus Windle
Chicago, IL: The Iconoclast Publishing Co.
1911
Pg. 8:
Now Jefferson did not mean that all men are created equal physically, because I would have the advantage of some of you if he had. He did not mean that we are all created equal mentally, because some of us are wise and some are otherwise, and if we are otherwise we are liable to vote for prohibition. (Laughter.)
 
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A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
By Henry Watson Fowler
Oxford: Clarendon Press
1926
Pg. 412:
Is it not (far-fetched as the explanation may seem) that the old saying ‘Some men are wise & some are otherwise’ has lately struck the popular consciousness as witty, & has incidentally inspired a belief that otherwise, & not other, is the natural parallel to an adjective?
 
Google Books
Civilization’s Quotations:
Life’s Ideal
By Richard Alan Krieger
New York, NY: Algora Pub.
2002
Pg. 87:
“Some are wise, and some are otherwise.” — Benjamin Franklin
 
Google Books
The Wordsworth Dictionary of Proverbs
By George Latimer Apperson
Ware, Herts: Wordsworth Reference
2006
Pg. 538:
Some are wise and some are otherwise.
1659: Howell, I.
1738: Swift, Polite Convers., Dial I
1748: Smollett, Rod. Random ch. vi.
 
Sillie Lizzy’s Rock
8/01/2006
“Some people are Wise, and some people are otherwise.”
—Mark Levin
 
Life on Planet Jim
Weekend Quote 10/20/07
Some of us are wise. Some are otherwise.
—Mark Levin
 
Twitter
@TheJHP
Jeff Hamill
“Some of us are wise, some of us are otherwise”-The Great One! @marklevinshow
15 Dec via web
   
YouTube
Mark Levin “Why was Obama last to speak up on Libya?” 2-24-2011
Uploaded by loveconstitution on Feb 25, 2011
Mark Levin “Why was Obama last to speak up on Libya?”. Mark comments on Libya and Gaddafi. He plays a clip from Ronald Reagan about the “Mad dog of the middle east” Gaddafi. Even the Washington Post made comment on Obama’s lack of comment. Mark remarks on the latest “Yaba daba doo” to be arrested in our country for terrorism. Mark then takes some calls from liberal callers. “What did you do go to drone school?”. Mark self censors himself at the end of the call. Some of them are torture.“Some of us are wise and some of us are otherwise.”