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Art Quote by William Stanley Jevons

“When quite young I can remember I had no thought or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a liking of little arts and bits of learning. My mother carefully fostered a liking for botany, giving me a small microscope and many books, which I yet have. Strange as it may seem, I now…” quote by William Stanley Jevons
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“When quite young I can remember I had no thought or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a liking of little arts and bits of learning. My mother carefully fostered a liking for botany, giving me a small microscope and many books, which I yet have. Strange as it may seem, I now believe that botany and the natural system, by exercising discrimination of kinds, is the best of logical exercises. What I may do in logic is perhaps derived from that early attention to botany.”

William Stanley Jevons

About This Quote

Source Autobiography: "The Life of William Stanley Jevons", 1904

Early fascination with botany cultivated analytical skills that later informed his logical work.

In simple terms: Botany taught him to classify and think critically.

Key Takeaway

Use early interests to shape intellectual development.

Themes

education science logic

Mood

curious inquisitive

Type

educational reflective

When to use this quote

  • school curriculum
  • personal hobbies
  • career planning

Key Concepts

classification empiricism intellectual development

Questions to Reflect On

  • How did botanical observation influence your logical reasoning?
  • Can similar natural observations benefit modern learners?
A Different Perspective

Some may argue that early interests are less influential than formal training.

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