Others

Mistakes are at the very base of human thought, embedded there, feeding the structure like root nodules. If we were not provided with the knack of being wrong, we could never get anything useful done.

Mistakes live in the neighborhood of truth and therefore delude us.

Mistakes live in the neighborhood of truth and therefore delude us.

Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth, and if a man does not know what a thing is, it is at least an increase in knowledge if he knows what it is not.

Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth, and if a man does not know what a thing is, it is at least an increase in knowledge if he knows what it is not.

Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen. Every blunder behind us is giving a cheer for us.

The forceps of our minds are clumsy forceps, and crush the truth a little in taking hold of it.

An answer is invariably the parent of a great family of new questions.

The metaphor is probably the most fertile power possessed by man.

The metaphor is probably the most fertile power possessed by man.

The metaphor is a shorter simile, or rather a kind of magical coat, by which the same idea assumes a thousand different appearances.

An idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor.

A noble metaphor, when it is placed to an advantage, casts a kind of glory around it, and darts a luster through a whole sentence.

A noble metaphor, when it is placed to an advantage, casts a kind of glory around it, and darts a luster through a whole sentence.

Each man’s memory is his private literature, and every recollection affects us with something of the penetrative force that belongs to the work of art.

it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.

Compassion for our parents is the true sign of maturity.

One is tempted to define man as a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.

Man is a talking animal and he will always let himself be swayed by the power of the word.

To turn events into ideas is the function of literature.

To turn events into ideas is the function of literature.

Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree.

Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree.

Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.