John Wilkins Quotes

• Garner up pleasant thoughts in your mind, for pleasant thoughts make pleasant lives.

  John Wilkins

  Positive Thinking, Mind, Pleasant

  47 Copy quote

• Science doesn't deliver even that much "truth"; it delivers empirically adequate generalisations, and that is all we need.

  John Wilkins

  Needs, Adequate, Generalisation

  7 Copy quote

• It is an excellent rule to be observed in all disputes, that men should give soft words and hard arguments; that they should not so much strive to vex as to convince each other.

  John Wilkins

  Men, Giving, Vex

  John Wilkins (1802). “The Mathematical and Philosophical Works of the Right Rev. John Wilkins, Late Lord Bishop of Chester: To which is Prefix'd the Author's Life, and an Account of His Works; in Two Volumes”, p.134

  7 Copy quote

• Yet I do seriously and on good grounds affirm it possible to make a flying chariot in which a man may sit and give such a motion unto it as shall convey him through the air. And this perhaps might be made large enough to carry divers men at the same time, together with food for their viaticum and commodities for traffic.

  John Wilkins

  Men, Air, Giving

  A Discourse Concerning a New World and Another Planet book 1, proposition 14 (1640)

  7 Copy quote

• It is not the bigness of anything in this kind that can hinder its motion, if the motive faculty be answerable thereunto. We see a great ship swims as well as a small cork, and an eagle flies in the air as well as a little gnat. 'Tis likely enough that there may be means invented of journeying to the Moon; and how happy they shall be that are first successful in this attempt.

  John Wilkins

  Mean, Successful, Moon

  "A Discourse Concerning a New World and Another Planet". Book by John Wilkins, Book 1, Chapter 14, p. 238-239, 1640.

  6 Copy quote

• Obscurity in writing is commonly an argument of darkness in the mind. The greatest learning is to be seen in the greatest plainness.

  John Wilkins

  Writing, Darkness, Style

  5 Copy quote

• 'Tis certain that our senses are extremely disproportioned for comprehending the whole compass and latitude of things.

  John Wilkins

  Science, Compass, Certain

  52 Copy quote

• It's a frightening thing. To go to France, the elder daughter of the church, it's always called, and you get the feeling the church has gone away.

  John Wilkins

  Daughter, Gone Away, Feelings

  6 Copy quote

• Nothing is properly one's duty but what is also one's interest.

  John Wilkins

  Duty, Interest

  4 Copy quote

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