Man's nature is not always to advance; it has its advances and retreats.
 Blaise Pascal, Pensées (1670). copy citation

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Author Blaise Pascal
Source Pensées
Topic advance
Date 1670
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by W. F. Trotter
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18269/18269-h/18269-h.htm

Context

“But perhaps this is only a sudden movement of the soul from one to the other extreme, and in fact it is ever at one point only, as in the case of a firebrand. Be it so, but at least this indicates agility if not expanse of soul. 354 Man's nature is not always to advance; it has its advances and retreats. Fever has its cold and hot fits; and the cold proves as well as the hot the greatness of the fire of fever. The discoveries of men from age to age turn out the same. The kindness and the malice of the world in general are the same.” source