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Quote by John Edensor Littlewood

“I've been giving this lecture to first-year classes for over twenty-five years. You'd think they would begin to understand it by now.”

Quote by John Edensor Littlewood

Author

John Edensor Littlewood

John Edensor Littlewood was an outstanding British mathematician known for his contributions to number theory, analysis, and probability theory. His research spanned a wide range of areas including group theory in number theory, number-theoretic functions, and limit theorems in probability theory. more

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“The referee said it was not acceptable, but the Press considered they could not refuse to publish a book by a professor of the university.”

Said Book Presses University Refuse Professors Acceptable Publish Referee

Book:Littlewood's Miscellany

Source: Littlewood's Miscellany

“I listen only to Bach, Beethoven or Mozart. Life is too short to waste on other composers.”

Life Is Waste Composer Too Short Life Is Too Short

Author:John Edensor Littlewood

“The higher mental activities are pretty tough and resilient, but it is a devastating experience if the drive does stop. Some people lose it in their forties and can only stop. In England they are a source of Vice-Chancellors.”

People Ifs Doe Loses Source Higher Activity Tough England Vices Forty Resilient

Book:Littlewood's Miscellany

Source: Littlewood's Miscellany

“Try a hard problem. You may not solve it, but you will prove something else.”

Trying May Hard Problem Prove Solve

Author:John Edensor Littlewood

“The first test of potential in mathematics is whether you can get anything out of geometry.”

Firsts Tests Mathematics Geometry

Author:John Edensor Littlewood

“We shall never want to serve God in our real and secret hearts if He looms in our subconscious mind as an arbitrary Dictator or a Spoil-sport, or as one who takes advantage of His position to make us poor mortals feel guilty and afraid. We have not only to be impressed by the "size" and unlimited power of God, we have to be moved to genuine admiration, respect, and affection, if we are ever to worship Him.”

Source: Your God is too small

“How happy is it for us, that the admiration of others should depend so much more on their ignorance than our perfection!”

Should Ignorance Depends Perfection Admiration

Author:Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke

“If they who understand the utmost refinement of any art will enjoy the perfection of it in a manner superior to other men, will they not amply pay for that advantage in feeling more than other men the imperfection of it, which in the natural course of things must so much oftener fall in their way?”

Ifs Men Way Art Feelings Fall Courses Enjoy Natural Pay Advantage Perfection Superiors Imperfection Refinement

Author:Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke

“Though beauty is, with the most apt similitude, I had almost said with the most literal truth, called a flower that fades and dies almost in the very moment of its maturity; yet there is, methinks, a kind of beauty which lives even to old age; a beauty that is not in the features, but, if I may be allowed the expression, shines through them. As it is not merely corporeal it is not the object of mere sense, nor is it to be discovered but by persons of true taste and refined sentiment.”

Ifs Kind May Persons Said Moments Age Dies Beauty Objects Expression Flower Taste Shining Mere Old Age Features Maturity Sentiments Fades Literal Refined

Author:Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke

“Every character is in some respects uniform, and in others inconsistent; and it is only by the study both of the uniformity and inconsistency, and a comparison of them with each other, that the knowledge of man is acquired.”

Men Character Study Comparison Uniforms Inconsistent Uniformity Inconsistency

Author:Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke