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Men could not be contented to take the Oracle just as it came piping hot from the Mouth of their God. But perhaps, when they had come a great way for it, they thought it would look silly to carry home an Oracle in Prose.

— Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle The History of Oracles, and the Cheats of the Pagan Priests (1688)

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More quotes by Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle

Astronomy is the daughter of idleness, geometry is the daughter of interest.

We can never add more truth to what is true already, nor make that true which is false.

The History of Oracles, and the Cheats of the Pagan Priests (1688)

It is more reasonable to remove error from truth, than to venerate error because it is mix'd with truth.

The History of Oracles, and the Cheats of the Pagan Priests (1688)

If I held all of truth in my hand I would beware of opening it to men.

Behold a universe so immense that I am lost in it. I no longer know where I am. I am just nothing at all. Our world is terrifying in its insignificance.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.