"Every man is not a proper champion for truth, nor fit to take up the gauntlet in the cause of verity: many from the ignorance of these maxims, and an inconsiderate zeal for truth, have too rashly charged the troops of error, and remain as trophies unto the enemies of truth. A man may be in as just possession of truth as of a city, and yet be forced to surrender: ’tis therefore far better to enjoy her with peace than to hazard her on a battle: if therefore there rise any doubts in my way, I do forget them, or at least defer them, till my better settled judgment and more manly reason be able to resolve them." (Sir Thomas Browne, "Religio Medici", 1643)
"Nature is not at variance with art nor art with nature, they both being the servants of his providence: art is the perfection of nature." (Sir Thomas Browne," Religio Medici", 1643)
"To believe only in possibilities, is not faith, but mere Philosophy." (Sir Thomas Browne," Religio Medici", 1643)
"Knowledge is made by oblivion, and to purchase a clear and warrantable body of truth, we must forget and part with much we know." (Sir Thomas Browne, "Pseudodoxia Epidemica", 1646)
"All things began in order, so shall they end, and so shall they begin again; according to the ordainer of order and mystical mathematics of the city of heaven." (Sir Thomas Browne, "The Garden of Cyrus", 1658)
"Natura nihil agit frustra [Nature does nothing in vain] is the only indisputable axiom in philosophy. There are no grotesques in nature; not any thing framed to fill up empty cantons, and unncecessary spaces." (Thomas Browne)
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