Leonardo da Vinci Quotes
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Represent your figures in such action as may be fitted to express what purpose is in the mind of each; otherwise your art will not be admirable.
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Ask counsel of him who rules himself well.
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The image of the sun where it falls appears as a thing which covers the person who attempts to cover it.
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Sculptured figures which appear in motion, will, in their standing position, actually look as if they were falling forward.
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Shadow is the diminution alike of light and of darkness, and stands between darkness and light.
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He who offends others, does not secure himself.
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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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An infinite number of men will sell publicly and unhindered things of the very highest price, without leave from the Master of it; while it never was theirs nor in their power; and human justice will not prevent it.
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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.
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The wind which passes through the skins of animals will make men leap up:-That is the bagpipes, which cause men to dance.
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Of the horse I will say nothing because I know the times.
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Just as eating against one’s will is injurious to health, so studying without a liking for it spoils the memory, and it retains nothing it takes in.1
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The Medici created and destroyed me.
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Any one who in discussion relies upon authority uses, not his understanding, but rather his memory. Good culture is born of a good disposition; and since the cause is more to be praised than the effect, I will rather praise a good disposition without culture, than good culture without the disposition.
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Here forms, here colours, here the character of every part of the universe are concentrated to a point; and that point is so marvellous a thing … Oh! marvellous, O stupendous Necessity - by thy laws thou dost compel every effect to be the direct result of its cause, by the shortest path. These are miracles...
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The painter strives and competes with nature.
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To manage the large mould make a model of the small mould, make a small room in proportion.
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Fear arises sooner than anything else.
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The atmosphere is blue by reason of the darkness above it because black and white make blue.
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He who possesses most must be most afraid of loss.
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A point is not part of a line.
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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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Mechanics is the paradise of the mathematical sciences because by means of it one comes to the fruits of mathematics.
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As a day well spent procures a happy sleep, so a life well employed procures a happy death.