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 More Quotes by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle More Quotes From Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle Women react differently: a French woman who sees herself betrayed by her husband will kill his mistress; an Italian will kill her husband; a Spaniard will kill both; and a German will kill herself. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle mistressitalianhusband Behold a universe so immense that I am lost in it. I no longer know where I am. I am just nothing at all. Our world is terrifying in its insignificance. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle our-worldscienceknowledge To be happy, one must have a good stomach and a bad heart. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle stomachhearthappiness A true philosopher is like an elephant; he never puts the second foot down until the first one is solidly in place. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle elephantsfeetfirsts A philosopher will not believe what he sees because he is too busy speculating about what he does not see. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle philosopherdoebelieve An educated mind is, as it were, composed of all the minds of preceding ages. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle educated-mindagemind Mathematicians are like lovers. Grant a mathematician the least principle, and he will draw from it a consequence which you must also grant him, and from this consequence another. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle loversprinciplesmath It is a great obstacle to happiness to expect too much. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle obstaclestoo-muchhappiness People almost always do great things without knowing how to do them, and are quite surprised to have done them. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle doneknowingpeople Leibniz never married; he had considered it at the age of fifty; but the person he had in mind asked for time to reflect. This gave Leibniz time to reflect, too, and so he never married. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle mindmathtime Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle futureknow-howknows 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 last-wordsage Nature is never so admired as when she is understood. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle naturenaturalscience Modesty in women has two special advantages,--it enhances beauty and veils uncomeliness. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle veilsspecialtwo I have lived one hundred years; and I die with the consolation of never having thrown the slightest ridicule upon the smallest virtue. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle virtuehundredyears A philospher sees the Earth as a large planet, travelling through the heavens, covered with fools Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle foolearthheaven If I had my hand full of truth, I would take good care how I opened it. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle truthfunnyhands Neatness is a crowning grace of womanhood. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle neatnesswomanhoodgrace Nothing can be more destructive to ambition, and the passion for conquest, than the true system of astronomy. What a poor thing is even the whole globe in comparison of the infinite extent of nature! Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle astronomypassionambition Since the princes take the Earth for their own, it's fair that the philosophers reserve the sky for themselves and rule there, but they should never permit the entry of others. Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle philosopherearthsky
