“The Authors who write near the beginnings of science, are, in general the most instructive: they take the reader more along with them, shew him the real difficulties, and, which is a main point, teach him the subject, the way by which they themselves learned it.”

A Treatise on Isoperimetrical Problems, and the Calculus of Variations (1810)
Context: The Authors who write near the beginnings of science, are, in general the most instructive: they take the reader more along with them, shew him the real difficulties, and, which is a main point, teach him the subject, the way by which they themselves learned it.<!--Preface p. v-iv

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The Authors who write near the beginnings of science, are, in general the most instructive: they take the reader more a…" by Robert Woodhouse?
Robert Woodhouse photo
Robert Woodhouse 7
English mathematician 1773–1827

Related quotes

John Amos Comenius photo
Maimónides photo

“The same difficulties which he encountered when investigating the subject for himself will attend him when endeavouring to instruct others”

Guide for the Perplexed (c. 1190), Introduction
Context: You must know that if a person, who has attained a certain degree of perfection, wishes to impart to others, either orally or in writing, any portion of the knowledge which he has acquired of these subjects, he is utterly unable to be as systematic and explicit as he could be in a science of which the method is well known. The same difficulties which he encountered when investigating the subject for himself will attend him when endeavouring to instruct others: viz., at one time the explanation will appear lucid, at another time, obscure: this property of the subject appears to remain the same both to the advanced scholar and to the beginner. For this reason, great theological scholars gave instruction in all such matters only by means of metaphors and allegories.

Robert Louis Stevenson photo

“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.”

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer

Truth of Intercourse.
Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers (1881)

François Fénelon photo
Johann Georg Hamann photo

“Few authors understand themselves, and a proper reader must not only understand his author but also be able to see beyond him.”

Johann Georg Hamann (1730–1788) German philosopher

Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (1955-1975), vol. VI, p. 22.

Muhammad al-Baqir photo

“Learn knowledge and science from him who teaches it, even if he doesn't practice what he preaches.”

Muhammad al-Baqir (677–733) fifth of the Twelve Shia Imams

Ibn Shu’ba al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 299

Roald Amundsen photo
Émile Durkheim photo
Henry George photo
Augustus De Morgan photo

Related topics