Seeing is forgetting the name of the things one sees.

Regarder, c’est-à-dire oublier les noms des choses que l’on voit.

Paul Valéry

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More information about this quote

Topic

Names Perception

Author

Paul Valéry

Medium

Essay

Statement Type

Paradox Zen koan

Language

French

Time

1936 1930s 20th century

Occupation

Writer

From

France Europe

Authentication Score 0

Citation

Valéry, Paul. Quoted in Robert Irwin: A Way to Look at Things by Not Forgetting Their Names, written by Adrian Kohn. c. 1982.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Paul Valery about names: “Seeing is forgetting the name of the things one sees.”
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A quote by Paul Valery about names: “Seeing is forgetting the name of the things one sees.”
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A quote by Paul Valery about names: “Seeing is forgetting the name of the things one sees.”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 1930s

There is no such thing as justice-in or out of court.

Clarence Darrow

More information about this quote
Topic
Elusiveness of justice Justice
Speaker
Clarence Darrow
Medium
Interview
Language
English
Time
1936 1930s 20th century
Authentication Score 1
Citation

Darrow, Clarence. Interview in Chicago. Apr. 1936.

Another quote originally in French

Lighter than a cork I danced on the waves.

Arthur Rimbaud

The Drunken Boat

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More information about this quote
Topic
Ocean and sea

Author

Arthur Rimbaud
Source
The Drunken Boat
Medium
Poem
Statement Type
Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
French
Time
1871 1870s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Rimbaud, Arthur. "Le Bateau Ivre [The Drunken Boat]." Les Poetes Maudits, edited by Paul Verlaine. Paris, 1884.

Current Citation

Rimbaud, Arthur. "Le bateau ivre/The Drunken Boat." Rimbaud: Complete Works, Selected Letters, a Bilingual Edition, translated by Wallace Fowlie. University of Chicago Press, 2005.

Another quote of the following type Paradox

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain.

Colleen McCullough

The Thorn Birds

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More information about this quote
Topic
Bird songs Birds

Author

Colleen McCullough
Source
The Thorn Birds
Medium
Novel
Statement Type
Paradox
Language
English
Time
1977 1970s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

McCullough, Colleen. The Thorn Birds. Harper & Row, 1977, epigraph.