Denis Diderot Quotes About Genius

Quotes about: Genius

• I picture the vast realm of the sciences as an immense landscape scattered with patches of dark and light. The goal towards which we must work is either to extend the boundaries of the patches of light, or to increase their number. One of these tasks falls to the creative genius; the other requires a sort of sagacity combined with perfectionism.

  Denis Diderot

  Fall, Dark, Science

  Denis Diderot, David J. Adams (2000). “Thoughts on the interpretation of nature: and other philosophical works”, Clinamen Press Ltd.

• Genius is present in every age, but the men carrying it within them remain benumbed unless extraordinary events occur to heat up and melt the mass so that it flows forth.

  Denis Diderot

  Men, Age, Genius

  Denis Diderot (1966). “Selected Writings”, New York : Macmillan

• Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We rarely see these three means combined; and for this reason, creative geniuses are not common.

  Denis Diderot

  Creativity, Mean, Reflection

  John Hope Mason, Denis Diderot (1982). “The irresistible Diderot”

• Evil always turns up in this world through some genius or other.

  Denis Diderot

  Evil, Genius, World

  "Dictionary of Foreign Quotations". Book by Mary Collison and Robert L. Collison, p. 98, 1980.

• The general interest of the masses might take the place of the insight of genius if it were allowed freedom of action.

  Denis Diderot

  Freedom, Might, Genius

  "Observations on the Drawing Up of Laws". A letter to Catherine the Great, 1774.

• Oh! how near are genius and madness! Men imprison them and chain them, or raise statues to them.

  Denis Diderot

  Men, Genius, Madness

• Only God and some few rare geniuses can keep forging ahead into novelty.

  Denis Diderot

  Genius, Novelty, Forging Ahead

  Denis Diderot, Jacques Barzun, Ralph Henry Bowen (2001). “Rameau's Nephew and Other Works”, p.43, Hackett Publishing

• Gaiety is a quality of ordinary men. Genius always presupposes some disorder in the machine.

  Denis Diderot

  Happiness, Men, Quality

  Denis Diderot (1966). “Selected Writings”, New York : Macmillan

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin