Leonardo da Vinci quotes - page 10

Men out of fear will cling to the thing they most fear. (Leonardo da Vinci)
Since the wings are swifter to press the air than the air is to escape from beneath the wings the air becomes condensed and resists the movement of the wings; and the motive power of these wings by subduing the resistance of the air raises itself in a contrary movement to the movement of the wings. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
Many will think they may reasonably blame me by alleging that my proofs are opposed to the authority of certain men held in the highest reverence by their inexperienced judgments; not considering that my works are the issue of pure and simple experience, who is the one true mistress. These rules are sufficient to enable you to know the true from the false - and this aids men to look only for things that are possible and with due moderation - and not to wrap yourself in ignorance, a thing which can have no good result, so that in despair you would give yourself up to melancholy. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
The image of the sun where it falls appears as a thing which covers the person who attempts to cover it. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
The solar rays will kindle fire on the earth, by which a thing that is under the sky will be set on fire, and, being reflected by some obstacle, it will bend downwards. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
This writing distinctly about the kite seems to be my destiny, because among the first recollections of my infancy, it seemed to me that, as I was in my cradle, a kite came to me and opened my mouth with its tail, and struck me several times with its tail inside my lips. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
I have seen motions of the air so furious that they have carried, mixed up in their course, the largest trees of the forest and whole roofs of great palaces, and I have seen the same fury bore a hole with a whirling movement digging out a gravel pit, and carrying gravel, sand and water more than half a mile through the air. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
Necessity is the theme and the inventress, the eternal curb and law of nature. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
It is true that impatience, the mother of stupidity, praises brevity, as if such persons had not life long enough to serve them to acquire a complete knowledge of one single subject, such as the human body; and then they want to comprehend the mind of God in which the universe is included, weighing it minutely and mincing it into infinite parts, as if they had to dissect it! View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
Observe the light and consider its beauty. Blink your eye and look at it. That which you see was not there at first, and that which was there is there no more. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
If any man could have discovered the utmost powers of the cannon, in all its various forms and have given such a secret to the Romans, with what rapidity would they have conquered every country and have vanquished every army, and what reward could have been great enough for such a service! Archimedes indeed, although he had greatly damaged the Romans in the siege of Syracuse, nevertheless did not fail of being offered great rewards from these very Romans; and when Syracuse was taken, diligent search was made for Archimedes; and he being found dead greater lamentation was made for him by the Senate and people of Rome than if they had lost all their army; and they did not fail to honour him with burial and with a statue. (Leonardo da Vinci)
Science, knowledge of the things that are possible present and past; prescience, knowledge of the things which may come to pass. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
The eye can best distinguish the forms of objects when it is placed between the shaded and the illuminated parts. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
The city will gain beauty worthy of its name and to you it will be useful by its revenues, and the eternal fame of its aggrandizement. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
There is no certainty in sciences where one of the mathematical sciences cannot be applied, or which are not in relation with these mathematics. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
When the sun appears which dispels darkness in general, you put out the light which dispelled it for you in particular for your need and convenience. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
Every quantity is intellectually conceivable as infinitely divisible. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
Swimming upon water teaches men how birds do upon the air. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
The Caladrius is a bird of which it is related that, when it is carried into the presence of a sick person, if the sick man is going to die, the bird turns away its head and never looks at him; but if the sick man is to be saved the bird never loses sight of him but is the cause of curing him of all his sickness. Like unto this is the love of virtue. It never looks at any vile or base thing, but rather clings always to pure and virtuous things and takes up its abode in a noble heart; as the birds do in green woods on flowery branches. And this Love shows itself more in adversity than in prosperity; as light does, which shines most where the place is darkest. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
O admirable impartiality of Thine, Thou first Mover; Thou hast not permitted that any force should fail of the order or quality of its necessary results. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
It is always the under side of the branches of any plant that show themselves to the wind which strikes it, and one leans against the other. (Leonardo da Vinci)
A point is not part of a line. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
A bird makes the same use of wings and tail in the air as a swimmer does of his arms and legs in the water. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
A vase of unbaked clay, when broken, may be remoulded, but not a baked one. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci
There will be many which will increase in their destruction. View quote
Leonardo da Vinci