Notable quotes, excerpts, and profound lines. - Page 63

kennyc · 11-29-2010, 09:11 PM

Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
~Andre Gide

WT Sharpe · 11-29-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
~Andre Gide

There's a lot to be said for that point of view!

WT Sharpe · 11-30-2010, 12:22 PM

.....Herr Doktor Professor Fallopius Fitch discovered a wonderful Theory which explained in precise mathematical terms the Meaning of Life and the purpose of germs. It also explained, in a few simple words, the light of the stars and the language of birds.
....."All shades of the spectrum, whatever their pitch, fit into my Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch.
.....And that wasn't all: every fish in the sea fit right into his Theory, neat as could be. Doctor Fitch's great Theory clearly explained why the galaxies formed and the crescent Moon waned. And black hole, quarks, and quasars—gigantic or small—were explained by his theory, once and for all.
....."Each quantum of space-time has got its own niche in my marvelous Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch.
.....But then Doctor Fitch very suddenly saw that his wonderful Theory had a slight flaw: it explained the whole Cosmos with nary a hitch, but his Theory couldn't explain Doctor Fitch!
....."A mere detail," he said, "which is easily missed." Then he published his findings, and ceased to exist.
..........— F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre (1948 – apparent suicide, 2010), journalist, novelist, poet and illustrator, who lived in Wales and New York City. Macintyre's Improbable Bestiary: Perverse Verse and Odious Odes (2001), "OPPS!". "OPPS!" first appeared in Analog magazine (March 1991), but due to a typographical error, MacIntyre's name did not appear on the credits. I recommend reading the brief bio in Wikipedia for an introduction into his tortured life. He was a fascinating writer, but one very sick puppy.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 11-30-2010, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

..........— Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914?), American editorialist, journalist, writer, and satirist. The Devil's Dictionary (1911, first published in book form as The Cynic's Wordbook, 1906).

In fairness, you could just quote most of that book

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

.....Herr Doktor Professor Fallopius Fitch discovered a wonderful Theory which explained in precise mathematical terms the Meaning of Life and the purpose of germs. It also explained, in a few simple words, the light of the stars and the language of birds.
....."All shades of the spectrum, whatever their pitch, fit into my Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch.
.....And that wasn't all: every fish in the sea fit right into his Theory, neat as could be. Doctor Fitch's great Theory clearly explained why the galaxies formed and the crescent Moon waned. And black hole, quarks, and quasars—gigantic or small—were explained by his theory, once and for all.
....."Each quantum of space-time has got its own niche in my marvelous Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch.
.....But then Doctor Fitch very suddenly saw that his wonderful Theory had a slight flaw: it explained the whole Cosmos with nary a hitch, but his Theory couldn't explain Doctor Fitch!
....."A mere detail," he said, "which is easily missed." Then he published his findings, and ceased to exist.
..........— F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre (1948 – apparent suicide, 2010), journalist, novelist, poet and illustrator, who lived in Wales and New York City. Macintyre's Improbable Bestiary: Perverse Verse and Odious Odes (2001), "OPPS!". "OPPS!" first appeared in Analog magazine (March 1991), but due to a typographical error, MacIntyre's name did not appear on the credits. I recommend reading the brief bio in Wikipedia for an introduction into his tortured life. He was a fascinating writer, but one very sick puppy.

I remember reading about Froggy's death, but I've never actually read any of his works until now. Thank you.

Stitchawl · 12-01-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
~Andre Gide

Oooo... I like that!

Stitchawl!

WT Sharpe · 12-01-2010, 03:19 AM

..... [T]he brain contains some 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons — by coincidence, that's about the same quantity as the number of stars in a typical galaxy.
..........— Dan Falk (1966 - ), Canadian science journalist, broadcaster, and author. In Search of Time: The Science of a Curious Dimension (2008).

gmw · 12-01-2010, 07:11 AM

I'm currently working my way through Moby Dick (and work it has turned out to be). I just did a quick search on this thread and see that it is missing the classic that many people know already:

He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it.

Every now and then, I think, he gets it just about perfect.

It is, of course, rather difficult to obtain short and neat quotes from Melville, even that last is but the last sentence of a long paragraph. Here's a more extended quote that I quite liked, a curious perspective on writing your Will:

It may seem strange that of all men sailors should be tinkering at their last wills and testaments, but there are no people in the world more fond of that diversion. This was the fourth time in my nautical life that I had done the same thing. After the ceremony was concluded upon the present occasion, I felt all the easier; a stone was rolled away from my heart. Besides, all the days I should now live would be as good as the days that Lazarus lived after his resurrection; a supplementary clean gain of so many months or weeks as the case might be. I survived myself; my death and burial were locked up in my chest. I looked round me tranquilly and contentedly, like a quiet ghost with a clean conscience sitting inside the bars of a snug family vault.

Now then, thought I, unconsciously rolling up the sleeves of my frock, here goes for a cool, collected dive at death and destruction, and the devil fetch the hindmost.

kennyc · 12-01-2010, 08:00 AM

Hey thanks for that GMW!

Stitchawl · 12-01-2010, 09:17 AM

Call me Stitchawl. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the Japanese part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to Asia as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball.

Stitchawl

gmw · 12-01-2010, 07:37 PM

Tut, tut, Stitchawl. How is anyone going to recognise that as paraphrasing the start of Moby Dick if you change the name of the narrator? (I seem to remember discussion on another thread here about "Call me Ishmael." being among the most recognisable first sentences.) I do particularly like the bit:

whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

I've had days like that, although going to sea to solve it had never occurred to me.

kennyc · 12-01-2010, 08:55 PM

You're right! It went right over my head!

Stitchawl · 12-01-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

You're right! It went right over my head!

Payback for the physics jokes.

Stitchawl

Stitchawl · 12-01-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

Tut, tut, Stitchawl. How is anyone going to recognise that as paraphrasing the start of Moby Dick if you change the name of the narrator?

LOL! I figured everyone would recognize it immediately, especially as it followed so closely behind GMW's post about reading Moby Dick!

My bad.

Stitchawl

kennyc · 12-01-2010, 09:03 PM

Now if it had said "Call me Ishcrawl."

gmw · 12-01-2010, 09:38 PM

I was saving this one up for later use ... but I like it too much not to share. A.A.Milne writing about Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows says:

When you sit down to it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are sitting in judgment on my taste, still less on the genius of Kenneth Grahame. You are merely sitting in judgment on yourself. … You may be worthy; I do not know. But it is you who are on trial.

I first found this quote in an introduction (written by Brian Sibley) in my copy of The Wind in the Willows, but have since found it (the original?) in A.A.Milne's Not that it Matters (see at Project Gutenberg).

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11-29-2010, 09:11 PM	#931
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. ~Andre Gide

11-30-2010, 12:22 PM	#933
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	.....Herr Doktor Professor Fallopius Fitch discovered a wonderful Theory which explained in precise mathematical terms the Meaning of Life and the purpose of germs. It also explained, in a few simple words, the light of the stars and the language of birds. ....."All shades of the spectrum, whatever their pitch, fit into my Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch. .....And that wasn't all: every fish in the sea fit right into his Theory, neat as could be. Doctor Fitch's great Theory clearly explained why the galaxies formed and the crescent Moon waned. And black hole, quarks, and quasars—gigantic or small—were explained by his theory, once and for all. ....."Each quantum of space-time has got its own niche in my marvelous Theory!" cried Doctor Fitch. .....But then Doctor Fitch very suddenly saw that his wonderful Theory had a slight flaw: it explained the whole Cosmos with nary a hitch, but his Theory couldn't explain Doctor Fitch! ....."A mere detail," he said, "which is easily missed." Then he published his findings, and ceased to exist. ..........— F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre (1948 – apparent suicide, 2010), journalist, novelist, poet and illustrator, who lived in Wales and New York City. *Macintyre's Improbable Bestiary: Perverse Verse and Odious Odes* (2001), "OPPS!". "OPPS!" first appeared in Analog magazine (March 1991), but due to a typographical error, MacIntyre's name did not appear on the credits. I recommend reading the brief bio in Wikipedia for an introduction into his tortured life. He was a fascinating writer, but one very sick puppy.

12-01-2010, 03:19 AM	#936
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	..... [T]he brain contains some 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons — by coincidence, that's about the same quantity as the number of stars in a typical galaxy. ..........— Dan Falk (1966 - ), Canadian science journalist, broadcaster, and author. *In Search of Time: The Science of a Curious Dimension* (2008).

12-01-2010, 07:11 AM	#937
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I'm currently working my way through Moby Dick (and work it has turned out to be). I just did a quick search on this thread and see that it is missing the classic that many people know already: He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it. Every now and then, I think, he gets it just about perfect. It is, of course, rather difficult to obtain short and neat quotes from Melville, even that last is but the last sentence of a long paragraph. Here's a more extended quote that I quite liked, a curious perspective on writing your Will: It may seem strange that of all men sailors should be tinkering at their last wills and testaments, but there are no people in the world more fond of that diversion. This was the fourth time in my nautical life that I had done the same thing. After the ceremony was concluded upon the present occasion, I felt all the easier; a stone was rolled away from my heart. Besides, all the days I should now live would be as good as the days that Lazarus lived after his resurrection; a supplementary clean gain of so many months or weeks as the case might be. I survived myself; my death and burial were locked up in my chest. I looked round me tranquilly and contentedly, like a quiet ghost with a clean conscience sitting inside the bars of a snug family vault. Now then, thought I, unconsciously rolling up the sleeves of my frock, here goes for a cool, collected dive at death and destruction, and the devil fetch the hindmost.

12-01-2010, 08:00 AM	#938
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Hey thanks for that GMW!

12-01-2010, 09:17 AM	#939
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	Call me Stitchawl. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the Japanese part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to Asia as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. Stitchawl

12-01-2010, 07:37 PM	#940
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Tut, tut, Stitchawl. How is anyone going to recognise that as paraphrasing the start of Moby Dick if you change the name of the narrator? (I seem to remember discussion on another thread here about "Call me Ishmael." being among the most recognisable first sentences.) I do particularly like the bit: whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. I've had days like that, although going to sea to solve it had never occurred to me.

12-01-2010, 08:55 PM	#941
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	You're right! It went right over my head!

12-01-2010, 09:03 PM	#944
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Now if it had said "Call me Ishcrawl."

12-01-2010, 09:38 PM	#945
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I was saving this one up for later use ... but I like it too much not to share. A.A.Milne writing about Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows says: When you sit down to it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are sitting in judgment on my taste, still less on the genius of Kenneth Grahame. You are merely sitting in judgment on yourself. … You may be worthy; I do not know. But it is you who are on trial. I first found this quote in an introduction (written by Brian Sibley) in my copy of The Wind in the Willows, but have since found it (the original?) in A.A.Milne's Not that it Matters (see at Project Gutenberg).