In assembling the unrelated 366 book passages, a project I call Randomary, I ended up creating a book of quotations.
As such collections go it is a somewhat unorthodox one – random, indeed – as so many of the entries do not quite fit the classic mode of “words of wisdom falling between two quote marks.” Yet many do. It has been a pleasure reviewing Randomary’s contents 16 years after gathering them.
Among the early, middle and late portions of Randomary I found these four quotes that all dwell in the realm of what is central to quotation collections: contemplation.
I cite them below without further interpretation, other than to say the similarities may be loose but they are nonetheless tethered by the spirit of remaining open to the very act of thought.
“Above all things it is necessary here, as in all other branches of study, not to think we know a thing before we do know it -- to make sure of our ground and be quite certain that we really do like a thing before we say we do. — Samuel Butler, On knowing what gives us pleasure
“… When you decide you cannot decide whether you like a thing or not, nothing is easier than to say so and to hang it up among the uncertainties. Or when you know you do not know and are in such doubt as to see no chance of deciding, then you may take one side or the other provisionally and throw yourself into it. This will sometimes make you uncomfortable, and you will feel you have taken the wrong side and thus learn that the other was the right one. Sometimes you will feel you have done right, any way ere long you will know more about it. But there must have been a secret treaty with yourself to the effect that the decision was provisional only. For, after all, the most important first principle in this matter is the not lightly thinking you know what you like till you have made sure of your ground. I was nearly forty before I felt how stupid it was to pretend to know things that I did not know and I still often catch myself doing so. Not one of my school-masters taught me this, but altogether otherwise.” – "The Oxford Book of Essays," edited by John Gross, Oxford University Press, 1990
“Contemplate is a normal, everyday English word but again it was born in a pagan temple. When we contemplate anything, we consider it thoughtfully. At such a time we are like the ancient Roman priests; when they contemplated they were literally con-, "with," and templum, "temple." That is, they were considering the signs that might be revealed in this sacred area.” -- Wilfred Funk, Litt. D, "Word Origins and Their Romantic Stories," Bell Publishing Co., 1978
“All we have to go upon are traditions and superstitions. These do not at the first appear much, when the matter is one of life and death -- nay, of more than either life or death. Yet must we be satisfied; in the first place because we have to be -- no other means is at our control -- and secondly, because, after all, these things -- tradition and superstition -- are everything.” -- Bram Stoker, "Dracula," 1999, Scholastic
“He was forthright enough to admit to himself that finding good in what many would consider evil might be all an elaborate rationalization, and yet if it was, both he and society profited from it, so what matter the label that was put upon it?” – Allen Drury, "Advise and Consent”-- Avon Books, 1959
“Men, he had observed, believed about themselves what they had to believe to keep going: and matched against the general motley he did not think his method for coming to terms with himself was any worse than anyone else's. At least he felt that it was a positive reaction to something that otherwise could have been a constant drag upon his life, and so he did not quibble over the thought processes that permitted it. He had managed to emerge whole: he was grateful that it should be so, and wise enough not to question it.”
No disrespect to Jack Handy and others, but these are “deep thoughts”. — N.R.
Wonderful sharing I have contemplated and made sure of my ground. I totally like and appreciate BTAH and now Randomary can be year round. Thanks Kirby