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For my friend said that he opened his intellect as the sun opens the fans of a palm tree, opening for opening's sake, opening infinitely for ever. But I said that I opened my intellect as I opened my mouth, in order to shut it again on something solid. I was doing it at the moment. And as I truly pointed out, it would look uncommonly silly if I went on opening my mouth infinitely, for ever and ever. 
The Extraordinary Cabman, one of many essays collected in Tremendous Trifles (1909) 
Misattributed
                                    
 
        
     
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                            