Oliver Wendell Holmes
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Oliver Wendell Holmes was the name of two prominent men, father and son:...
science yield tree
Go on, fair Science; soon to thee Shall Nature yield her idle boast; Her vulgar lingers formed a tree, But thou hast trained it to a post.
ignorance science space
Science is the topography of ignorance. From a few elevated points we triangulate vast spaces, inclosing infinite unknown details. We cast the lead, and draw up a little sand from abysses we may never reach with our dredges.
two philosopher hours
Anytime you see a Hungarian, kick him. He'll know why. Any two philosophers can tell each other all they know in two hours.
men belief mark
The mark of a civilized man is his willingness to re-examine his most cherished beliefs.
moving important
Where we stand is not as important as the direction in which we are moving.
lonely writing research
Research and writing are lonely occupations. It is easy to become discouraged in solitary confinement.
destiny men order
The great end of being is to harmonize man with the order of things, and the church has been a good pitch-pipe, and may be so still.
destiny men illusion
Certainty generally is illusion, and repose is not the destiny of man.
summer july soul
For him in vain the envious seasons roll Who bears eternal summer in his soul.
men young old-man
Young men know the rules, but old men know the exceptions.
enemy favors trouble
If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I wouldn't pass it around. Wouldn't be doing anybody a favor. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't say embrace trouble. That's as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say, meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.
rivers water paddling
A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure.
selfish humility eye
I confess that altruistic and cynically selfish talk seem to me about equally unreal. With all humility, I think whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor; you must be living with your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing.
sister young old-time
There is no time like the old time, when you and I were young!