Able Quote by Isaac Barrow
“Chance never writ a legible book; chance never built a fair house; chance never drew a neat picture; it never did any of these things, nor ever will; nor can it be without absurdity supposed able to do them; which yet are works very gross and rude, very easy and feasible, as it were, in comparison to the production of a flower or a tree.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Nature of Chance, Isaac Barrow, 1670
Chance is portrayed as an unreliable force that cannot produce refined or beautiful works, yet it creates simple, coarse things easily compared to natural beauty.
In simple terms: Chance makes crude things easily but cannot craft beauty.
Key Takeaway
Accept that randomness yields simple results, not elegance.
Themes
chance
creativity
limitations
beauty
effort
Mood
reflective
philosophical
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- building simple structures
- writing rough drafts
- making quick decisions
- accepting imperfections
- contrasting with natural design
Key Concepts
determinism
entropy
aesthetics
Questions to Reflect On
- Can randomness ever produce true elegance?
- How do we balance acceptance of chance with striving for beauty?
A Different Perspective
Chance cannot achieve the subtlety of a flower or tree without absurdity.
