“History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in favor of another by all men, or by all competent men, or perhaps by only the most vocal men; it does not teach us whether the change was sound or whether the rejected view deserved to be rejected. Only an impartial analysis of the view in question, an analysis that is not dazzled by the victory or stunned by the defeat of the adherents of the view concerned - could teach us anything regarding the worth of the view and hence regarding the meaning of the historical change.” MenDoeHas BeensGivenSoundViewsTeachVictoryConcernedHistoricalDefeatFavorsAnalysisAbandonedRejectedVocalCompetentStunnedHistorical Change Author:Leo Strauss
“Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet. From those sounds which we hear on small or on coarse occasions, we do not easily receive strong impressions, or delightful images; and words to which we are nearly strangers, whenever they occur, draw that attention on themselves which they should transmit to other things.” ShouldWritingPurposeStrongSoundAttentionPoetDrawsDefeatStrangerImpressionFamiliarOccasionsDelightfulTransmitCoarse Book:The Lives of the English Poets Source: The Lives of the English Poets
“To judge by the event is an error all commit: for in every instance courage, if crowned with success, is heroism; if clouded by defeat, temerity. When Nelson fought his battle in the Sound, it was the result alone that decided whether he was to kiss a hand at court or a rod at a court-martial.” IfsHandsSuccessSoundResultsEventsJudgingBattleKissingDecidedCourtErrorsDefeatCommitInstanceHeroismNelsonClouded Book:Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think Source: Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think