Leonardo da Vinci Quotes
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I myself have proved it to be of no small use, when in bed in the dark, to recall in fancy the external details of forms previously studied, or other noteworthy things conceived by subtle speculation; and this is certainly an admirable exercise, and useful for impressing things on the memory.
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He who offends others, does not secure himself.
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A vase of unbaked clay, when broken, may be remoulded, but not a baked one.
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The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
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He who does not punish evil commands that it be done.
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Disgrace should be represented upside down, because all her deeds are contrary to God and tend to hell.
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That man is of supreme folly who always wants for fear of wanting; and his life flies away while he is still hoping to enjoy the good things which he has with extreme labour acquired.
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Such as harm is when it hurts me not, is good which avails me not.
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The sun gives spirit and life to plants and the earth nourishes them with moisture.
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There will be many who will eagerly and with great care and solicitude follow up a thing, which, if they only knew its malignity, would always terrify them. Of those men, who, the older they grow, the more avaricious they become, whereas, having but little time to stay, they should become more liberal.
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The part always has a tendency to reunite with its whole in order to escape from its imperfection.
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Truth here makes Falsehood torment lying tongues.
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What is fair in men, passes away, but not so in art.
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The properties of the air are such that it may become condensed or rarefied.
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That which was at first bound, cast out and rent by many and various beaters will be respected and honoured, and its precepts will be listened to with reverence and love.
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He who possesses most must be most afraid of loss.
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A shadow may be infinitely dark, and also of infinite degrees of absence of darkness. The beginnings and ends of shadow lie between the light and darkness and may be infinitely diminished and infinitely increased. Shadow is the means by which bodies display their form. The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail but for shadow.
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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.
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One's thoughts turn towards Hope.
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A dark object seen against a bright background will appear smaller than it is. A light object will look larger when it is seen against a background darker than itself.
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Truth was the only daughter of Time.
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The eye which turns from a white object in the light of the sun and goes into a less fully lighted place will see everything as dark.
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Painting embraces and contains within itself all the things which nature produces or which results from the fortuitous actions of men... he is but a poor master who makes only a single figure well.
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The Medici created and destroyed me.