Coordinates: 52°29′56″N 1°56′17″W / 52.498959°N 1.937968°W / 52.498959; -1.937968 James Watt's Mad Machine is a set of sculptural railings and gates at Winson Green Metro station, Winson Green, Birmingham, England, designed by Tim Tolkien, supported by Eric Klein Velderman, Paula Woof and pupils at James Watt Infants and Junior Schools, with whose site it forms a boundary.
It is inspired by the inventions of James Watt, who lived and worked nearby.
Famous quotes containing the words james, watt, mad and/or machine:
“Better risk loss of truth than chance of error—that is your faith-vetoer’s exact position. He is actively playing his stake as much as the believer is; he is backing the field against the religious hypothesis, just as the believer is backing the religious hypothesis against the field.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“Herein is the explanation of the analogies, which exist in all the arts. They are the re-appearance of one mind, working in many materials to many temporary ends. Raphael paints wisdom, Handel sings it, Phidias carves it, Shakspeare writes it, Wren builds it, Columbus sails it, Luther preaches it, Washington arms it, Watt mechanizes it. Painting was called “silent poetry,” and poetry “speaking painting.” The laws of each art are convertible into the laws of every other.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Mad about the boy,
I know it’s stupid to be mad about the boy,
I’m so ashamed of it
But must admit
The sleepless nights I’ve had about the boy.
On the Silver Screen
He melts my foolish heart in every single scene.”
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“Much that is natural, to the will must yield.
Men manufacture both machine and soul,
And use what they imperfectly control
To dare a future from the taken routes.”
—Thom Gunn (b. 1929)