“ A definition is the enclosing a wilderness of idea within a wall of words. ”
Samuel Butler, The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912). copy citation
| Author | Samuel Butler |
|---|---|
| Source | The Note-Books of Samuel Butler |
| Topic | words language ideas definition |
| Date | 1912 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6173/6173-h/6173-h.htm |
Context
“There is one class of mind that loves to lean on rules and definitions, and another that discards them as far as possible. A faddist will generally ask for a definition of faddism, and one who is not a faddist will be impatient of being asked to give one.
III A definition is the enclosing a wilderness of idea within a wall of words. IV Definitions are a kind of scratching and generally leave a sore place more sore than it was before. V As Love is too young to know what conscience is, so Truth and Genius are too old to know what definition is.” source
III A definition is the enclosing a wilderness of idea within a wall of words. IV Definitions are a kind of scratching and generally leave a sore place more sore than it was before. V As Love is too young to know what conscience is, so Truth and Genius are too old to know what definition is.” source
Meaning and analysis
