Nothing exists until or unless it is observed. An artist is making something exist by observing it. And his hope for other people is that they will also make it exist by observing it. I call it “creative observation.” Creative viewing.
—William S. Burroughs (1914–97) American Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Painter
I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry, ’tis all barren—and so it is, and so is all the world to him who will not cultivate the fruits it offers.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
A few observations and much reasoning lead to error; many observations and a little reasoning to truth.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
The cure for admiring the house of lords is to go and look at it.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
Each one sees what he carries in his heart.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
A person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Shakespeare says, we are creatures that look before and after; the more surprising that we do not look round a little, and see what is passing under our very eyes.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Observation is an old man’s memory.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
You can observe a lot by watching.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
You can observe a lot by just watching.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
How many attractions for us have our passing fellows in the streets, both male and female, which our ethics forbid us to express, which yet infuse so much pleasure into life. A lovely child, a handsome youth, a beautiful girl, a heroic man, a maternal woman, a venerable old man, charm us, though strangers, and we cannot say so, or look at them but for a moment.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
People’s minds are changed through observation and not through argument.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Swift defined observation to be an old man’s memory.
—James A. Garfield (1831–81) American Head of State, Lawyer, Educator
There is no more difficult art to acquire than the art of observation, and for some men it is quite as difficult to record an observation in brief and plain language.
—William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian Physician
A right judgment draws us a profit from all things we see.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Where there is much light, the shadows are deepest.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
An observant man, in all his intercourse with society and the world, constantly and unperceived marks on every person and thing the figure expressive of its value, and therefore, on meeting that person or thing, knows instantly what kind and degree of attention to give it.—This is to make something of experience.
—John Foster Dulles (1888–1959) American Republican Public Official, Lawyer
Every man who observes vigilantly and resolves steadfastly grows unconsciously into genius.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
I always know what’s happening on the court. I see a situation occur, and I respond.
—Larry Bird (b.1956) American Basketball Player
Reason, Observation, and Experience—the Holy Trinity of Science.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
Even the clearest and most perfect circumstantial evidence is likely to be at fault, after all, and therefore ought to be received with great caution. Take the case of any pencil, sharpened by any woman: if you have witness, you will find she did it with a knife; but if you take simply the aspect of the pencil, you will say she did it with her teeth.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The luster of diamonds is invigorated by the interposition of darker bodies; the lights of a picture are created by the shades; the highest pleasure which nature has indulged to sensitive perception is that of rest after fatigue.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Looking out of my window this lovely spring morning I see an azalea in full bloom. No, no! I do not see that; though that is the only way I can describe what I see. That is a proposition, a sentence, a fact; but what I perceive is not proposition, sentence, fact, but only an image which I make intelligible in part by means of a statement of fact. This statement is abstract; but what I see is concrete.
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) American Philosopher, Logician, Mathematician
To behold is not necessarily to observe, and the power of comparing and combining is only to be obtained by education. It is much to be regretted that habits of exact observation are not cultivated in our schools; to this deficiency may be traced much of the fallacious reasoning and the false philosophy which prevails.
—Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) German Philosopher, Linguist, Statesman
You can see a lot by observing.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
General observations drawn from particulars are the jewels of knowledge, comprehending great store in a little room.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
Did you ever observe to whom the accidents happen?. Chance favors only the prepared mind.
—Louis Pasteur (1822–95) French Biologist
Observation-activity of both eyes and ears.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
He alone is an acute observer, who can observe minutely without being observed.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
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