It is high time for me to depart, for at my age I now begin to see things as they really are. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle More Quotes by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle More Quotes From Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle There are three things I have loved but never understood. Art, music and women. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle three understanding art Our sun enlightens the planets that belong to him; why may not every fixed star also have planets to which they give light? Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle future stars light It is the passions that do and undo everything. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle passion I feel nothing, apart from a certain difficulty in continuing to exist. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle difficulty last-words certain If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle would-be hands thinking It is beauty that begins to please, and tenderness that completes the cbarm. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle tenderness please beauty It takes time to ruin a world, but time is all it takes. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle libertarian liberty world There is nothing one sees oftener than the ridiculous and magnificent, such close neighbors that they touch. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle ridicule ridiculous neighbor I detest war; it ruins conversation Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle ruins political war Let us be well assured of the Matter of Fact, before we trouble our selves with enquiring into the Cause. It is true, that this Method is too slow for the greatest part of Mankind, who run naturally to the Cause, and pass over the Truth of the Matter of Fact. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle self running science As astronomy is the daughter of idleness, geometry is the daughter of property. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle astronomy daughter science The judgment may be compared to a clock or watch, where the most ordinary machine is sufficient to tell the hours; but the most elaborate alone can point out the minutes and seconds, and distinguish the smallest differences of time. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle differences ordinary watches A man finds no sweeter voice in all the world than that which chants his praise. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle voice men world A work of morality, politics, criticism will be more elegant, other things being equal, if it is shaped by the hand of geometry. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle work math hands We must always skim over pleasures. They are like marshy lands that we must travel nimbly, hardly daring to put down our feet. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle pleasure land feet The Art of Flying is but newly invented, twill improve by degrees, and in time grow perfect; then we may fly as far as the Moon. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle future moon art Truth comes home to the mind so Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle home motivational memories To despise theory is to have the excessively vain pretension to do without knowing what one does, and to speak without knowing what one says. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle speak knowing doe I hate war, for it spoils conversation. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle hate conversation war A well-cultivated mind is, so to speak, made up of all the minds of preceding ages; it is only one single mind which has been educated during all this time. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle motivation mind inspirational
