Measuring Rod/history

Famous quotes containing the words measuring, rod and/or history:

    As an example of just how useless these philosophers are for any practice in life there is Socrates himself, the one and only wise man, according to the Delphic Oracle. Whenever he tried to do anything in public he had to break off amid general laughter. While he was philosophizing about clouds and ideas, measuring a flea’s foot and marveling at a midge’s humming, he learned nothing about the affairs of ordinary life.
    Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)

    From pleasure of the bed,
    Dull as a worm,
    His rod and its butting head
    Limp as a worm ...
    William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

    The history is always the same the product is always different and the history interests more than the product. More, that is, more. Yes. But if the product was not different the history which is the same would not be more interesting.
    Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)