Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
It now seems plain to me that that theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one...the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the need to revise outdated theories in light of new evidence and perspectives.
Mark Twain reflects on the evolution of thought, suggesting that older notions may become obsolete as new insights come to light. His assertion about the 'Descent of Man from the Higher Animals' captures a key aspect of evolutionary theory, inviting a reconsideration of how we view human origins in relation to the animal kingdom.
In practice
In a discussion about scientific advancement, I shared this quote to illustrate the importance of adapting our understanding.
Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
For they are the knights of summer, and winter is coming.
They watch on, evil, incredibly stupid, enjoying my destruction. 'Poor Grendel's had an accident,' I whisper. 'So may you all.
A man falling into dark waters seeks a momentary footing even on sliding stones.
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
History is how we have learnt to think about ourselves. It's not as though the Greeks and Romans are static entities out there to be discovered and translated. We make them speak, we talk to them, and they inform what we say.
Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation.
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