Leonardo da Vinci

“As iron rusts when not used, and water gets foul from standing or turns to ice when exposed to cold, so the intellect degenerates without exercise.-Leonard Da Vinci”

“I am fully conscious that, not being a literary man , certain presumptuous persons will think that they may reasonably blame me; alleging that I am not a man of letters. Foolish folks! do they not know that I might retort as Marius did to the Roman Patricians by saying: That they, who deck themselves out in the labours of others will not allow me my own. They will say that I, having no literary skill, cannot properly express that which I desire to treat of, but they do not know that my subjects are to be dealt with by experience rather than by words; and experience has been the mistress of those who wrote well. And so, as mistress, I will cite her in all cases.”

“The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”

“I love those who can smile in trouble...”

“It is an acknowledged fact that we perceive errors in the work of others more readily than in our own.”

“Time abides long enough for those who make use of it.”

“If you are alone you belong entirely to yourself. If you are accompanied by even one companion you belong only half to yourself or even less in proportion to the thoughtlessness of his conduct and if you have more than one companion you will fall more deeply into the same plight.”

“There is no object so large but that at a great distance from the eye it does not appear smaller than a smaller object near.”

“Science is the captain, and practice the soldiers.”

“The truth of things is the chief nutriment of superior intellects.”

“He who thinks little errs much…”

“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.”

“I have always felt it is my destiny to build a machine that would allow man to fly.”

“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.”

“Water is the driving force in nature.”

“Painting is mute poetry, and poetry is blind painting”

“He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year.”

“Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

“Tears come from the heart and not from the brain.”

“Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master.”