Jack Vance - Understand Quotes

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You will understand, said the Weaponeer, that a pattern for events exists. It is the function of such as myself to shape events so that they will fit the pattern. He bent, with a graceful sweep of arm, and seized a small jagged pebble. Just as I can grind this bit of rock to fit a round aperture.
Kergan Banbeck reached forward, took the pebble, tossed it high over the tumbled boulders. That bit of rock you shall never shape to fit a round hole.
The Weaponeer shook his head in mild deprecation. There is always more rock.
And there are always more holes, declared Kergan Banbeck.

Jack Vance
Speaking our language, you will understand us—and if you can think as another man thinks, you cannot dislike him.

Jack Vance
And I understand they are, in a sense, artists? That is to say, they understand the creative process, the sublimation of fact to symbol and the use of symbol to suggest emotion?

Jack Vance
Music is like a language: you cannot understand it unless you learn it, or more accurately, are born into it.

Jack Vance
Kergan Banbeck threw up his hands, turned once more to the sacerdote. How can I halt his nonsense? How can I make him see reason?
The sacerdote reflected. He speaks not nonsense, but rather a language you fail to understand. You can make him understand your language by erasing all knowledge and training from his mind, and replacing it with patterns of your own.

Jack Vance
I understand the gist of your speculation,' said Rhialto. 'It is most likely nuncupatory.

Jack Vance