Moriarty, Michael -- In Amy Wallace, “The Survivor,” New Yorker (26 Jan 2004)

Dave — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 21:10:30 +0000

Genius is what you do with the mistakes.

Michael Moriarty (b. 1941) American-Canadian actor, musician
In Amy Wallace, “The Survivor,” New Yorker (26 Jan 2004)
(Source)

Referring to his work with film producer Larry Cohen. Full quote: "It was skin-of-your-teeth filmmaking. Larry tends occasionally not to look ahead. But genius is what you do with the mistakes, and nobody was better with mistakes than Larry Cohen."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶442 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]

Dave — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 18:57:51 +0000

We try to make virtues of the faults we do not wish to correct.

[Nous essayons de nous faire honneur des défauts que nous ne voulons pas corriger.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶442 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]
(Source)

First appeared in the 5th (1678) edition.

(Source (French)). Other translations:

We attempt to Vindicate, and value our selves upon those Faults we have no design to mend.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶2.30; (1706 ed.), ¶442]

We endeavour to get reputation by those faults we determine not to amend.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶138; ed. Carvill (1835), ¶122]

We endeavor to make a merit of faults that we are unwilling to correct.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶467]

We try to make a virtue of vices we are loth to correct.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶442]

We boast the faults we are unwilling to correct.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶464]

We endeavour to take pride in faults that we would rather not correct.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶442]

We try to glory in those failings which we are unwilling to correct.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶442]

We try to make virtues out of the faults we have no wish to correct.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶442]

We try to make a merit of those of our faults which we do not wish to correct.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶442]

WIST Quotations

Moriarty, Michael -- In Amy Wallace, “The Survivor,” New Yorker (26 Jan 2004)

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶442 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]