William Francis Gray Swann Quotes

6 Sourced Quotes

The place of the mathematician, of the dreamer, in natural philosophy, is not always apparent to the layman.

William Francis Gray Swann
The mathematical physicist... obtains much prestige from the physicists because they are impressed with the amount of mathematics he knows, and much prestige from the mathematicians, because they are impressed with the amount of physics he knows.

William Francis Gray Swann
There are times... in the growth of human thought when nature, having led man to the hope that he may understand her glories, turns for a time capricious and mockingly challenges his powers to harmonize her mysteries by revealing new treasures.

William Francis Gray Swann
When an outstanding genius causes science to take a leap forward beyond the vision of his contemporaries, there usually follows a period of depression in which it seems that all that is worth doing has been done, and that the universe has not already revealed must forever defy the power of man to fathom.

William Francis Gray Swann
It has been said that the pure mathematician is never as happy as when he does not know what he is talking about.

William Francis Gray Swann
The forerunners in the march of science do not often come heralded by much ceremony suggestive of the power that lies behind them. Often in apparent trivialities do they reveal themselves — trivialities so void of spectacular content that but few can be found who deem it worth while to listen to their story.

William Francis Gray Swann