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
Those who cannot themselves observe can at least acquire the observation of others.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
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
Did you ever observe to whom the accidents happen?. Chance favors only the prepared mind.
—Louis Pasteur (1822–95) French Biologist
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.
—Robertson Davies (1913–95) Canadian Novelist, Playwright, Essayist
Reason, Observation, and Experience—the Holy Trinity of Science.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
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
You can observe a lot by watching.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
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
You can see a lot by observing.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
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
You can observe a lot by just watching.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
All perceiving is also thinking, all reasoning is also intuition, all observation is also invention.
—Rudolf Arnheim (1904–2007) German Psychologist, Art Theorist
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
A few observations and much reasoning lead to error; many observations and a little reasoning to truth.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
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
When general observations are drawn from so many particulars as to become certain and indisputable, these are jewels of knowledge.
—Isaac Watts (1674–1748) English Hymn writer
General observations drawn from particulars are the jewels of knowledge, comprehending great store in a little room.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
Where there is much light, the shadows are deepest.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Observation made in the cloister or in the desert, will generally be as obscure as the one and as barren as the other; but he that would paint with his pencil must study originals, and not be over fearful of a little dust.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
—George Carlin (1937–2008) American Stand-Up Comedian
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
A right judgment draws us a profit from all things we see.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
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
People’s minds are changed through observation and not through argument.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
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
Observation-activity of both eyes and ears.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
Each one sees what he carries in his heart.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
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 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
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