John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
2108 Robert Burton 1577-1640 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 2108 |
| AUTHOR: | Robert Burton (1577–1640) |
| QUOTATION: | I had not time to lick it into form, as a bear doth her young ones. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Anatomy of Melancholy. Democritus to the Reader. |
| Note 1. Arts and sciences are not cast in a mould, but are formed and perfected by degrees, by often handling and polishing, as bears leisurely lick their cubs into form.—Montaigne: Apology for Raimond Sebond, book ii. chap. xii. [back] |