WIST Quotations

Bacon, Francis -- Instauratio Magna [The Great Instauration], Part 3 “Parsceve ad Historiam Naturalem [Preparatory for Natural History],” “Aphorisms on the Composition of the Primary History,” # 4 (1622) [tr. Oxenford (1857)]

Dave — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:24:01 +0000

The world is not to be confined (as hitherto) within the straits of the intellect, but the intellect is to be enlarged to receive the image of the world, such as it is.

[Neque enim arctandus est mundus ad angustias intellectus (quod adhue factum est), sed expandendus intellectus et laxandus ad mundi imaginem recipiendam, qualis invenitur.]

Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
Instauratio Magna [The Great Instauration], Part 3 “Parsceve ad Historiam Naturalem [Preparatory for Natural History],” “Aphorisms on the Composition of the Primary History,” # 4 (1622) [tr. Oxenford (1857)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

For the World ought not to be tyed into the straightness of the understanding (which hitherto hath been done) but our Intellect should be stretched and widened, so as to be capable of the Image of the World, such as we find it.
[Source (1670)]

For the world is not to be narrowed till it will go into the understanding (which has been done hitherto), but the understanding to be expanded and opened till it can take in the image of the world, as it is in fact.
[tr. Spedding/Ellis/Heath (c. 1900)]

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1860), “Worship,” The Conduct of Life, ch. 6

Dave — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 23:02:22 +0000

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character. We can only see what we are, and if we misbehave we suspect others.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1860), “Worship,” The Conduct of Life, ch. 6
(Source)

Based on a course of lectures, "The Conduct of Life," delivered in Pittsburg (1851-03).

Shaw, George Bernard -- Man and Superman, “The Revolutionist’s Handbook,” “Religion” (1903)

Dave — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:36:43 +0000

What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which habitually acts.

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish playwright and critic
Man and Superman, “The Revolutionist’s Handbook,” “Religion” (1903)
(Source)

~Proverbs and Sayings -- Latin proverb

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Cave ab homine unius libri.

[Beware of anyone who has just one book.]

Proverbs, Sayings, and Adages
Latin proverb

Sometimes attributed to Thomas Aquinas. See also George Herbert.