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 FONTENELLEIt takes time to ruin a world, but time is all it takes.
More Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle Quotes
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People almost always do great things without knowing how to do them, and are quite surprised to have done them.
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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 -
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.
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Neatness is a crowning grace of womanhood.
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A philospher sees the Earth as a large planet, travelling through the heavens, covered with fools
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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 -
Modesty in women has two special advantages,–it enhances beauty and veils uncomeliness.
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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.
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To be happy, one must have a good stomach and a bad heart.
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In vain we shall penetrate more and more deeply the secrets of the structure of the human body, we shall not dupe nature; we shall die as usual.
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If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.
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It is the passions that do and undo everything.
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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.
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Nature is never so admired as when she is understood.
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There are three things I have loved but never understood. Art, music and women.
BERNARD LE BOVIER DE FONTENELLE