Boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness. Appeals to those that are shallow in judgment or weak in courage. Prevails with wise men at weak times. Boldness does not keep its promises. An example of boldness is when men undertake great cures but claim them with only two or three experiments.
Dealing with the failure of boldness? Do as Mahomet did. If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill. So when men have promised great things and failed, yet they will slight it over.
Great boldness is seldom without absurdity. Boldness is always blind for it does not see dangers and inconveniences. In counsel it is good to see dangers, but in execution it is better not to see them unless they are very great.
The Oxford Book of Essays. Ed. John Gross. Oxford and new York: Oxford University Press. 1991.
No comments:
Post a Comment