Grant a mathematician but one minute principle, he immediately draws a consequence from it, to which you must necessarily assent; and from this consequence another, till he leads you so far (whether you will or no) that you have much ado to believe all he has proved, and what you have already assented to.


Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, The Fifth Evening (p. 156), Printed for Peter Wilson. Dublin, Ireland. 1761

Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle Quotes

Grant a mathematician but one minute principle, he immediately draws a consequence from it, to which you must necessarily assent; and from this...

Grant a mathematician but one minute principle, he immediately draws a consequence from it, to which you must necessarily assent; and from this...

Grant a mathematician but one minute principle, he immediately draws a consequence from it, to which you must necessarily assent; and from this...

Grant a mathematician but one minute principle, he immediately draws a consequence from it, to which you must necessarily assent; and from this...