John Arbuthnot
John Arbuthnot
John Arbuthnot, often known simply as Dr Arbuthnot, was a Scottish physician, satirist and polymath in London. He is best remembered for his contributions to mathematics, his membership in the Scriblerus Club, and for inventing the figure of John Bull...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPhysicist
Date of Birth29 April 1667
lying party believe
He warns the heads of parties against believing their own lies.
truth eye understanding
Truth is the same thing to the understanding, as Music to the ear, and Beauty to the eye.
analysis world politics
All the politics in the world are nothing else but a kind of analysis of the quantity of probability in casual events, and a good politician signifies no more but one who is dexterous at such calculations.
kings law degrees
King is a title which translated into several languages, signifies a magistrate with as many different degrees of power as there are kingdoms in the world, and he can have no power but what is given him by law; yea, even the supreme or legislative power is bound by the rules of equity, to govern by laws enacted, and published in due form; for what is not legal is arbitrary.
soul desire bliss
To bliss unknown by lofty soul aspires, My lot unequal to my vast desires.
science pairs biographies
John looked ruddy and plump, with a pair of cheeks like a trumpeter.
cities together care
The first Care in building of Cities, is to make them airy and well perflated; infectious Distempers must necessarily be propagated amongst Mankind living close together.
god faith hope
The mathematics are the friends of religion, inasmuch as they charm the passions, restrain the impetuosity of the imagination, and purge the mind of error and prejudice.
lying party political
All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies.
knowledge math mind
Mathematical Knowledge adds a manly Vigour to the Mind, frees it from Prejudice, Credulity, and Superstition.
mean men numbers
Among innumerable footsteps of divine providence to be found in the works of nature, there is a very remarkable one to be observed in the exact balance that is maintained, between the numbers of men and women; for by this means is provided, that the species never may fail, nor perish, since every male may have its female, and of proportionable age. This equality of males and females is not the effect of chance but divine providence, working for a good end.
people historical green
Hocus was an old cunning attorney. The words of consecration, "Hoc est corpus," were travestied into a nickname for jugglery, as "Hocus-pocus." - John Richard Green, A Short History of the English People, 1874. see Charles Macklin.
sports men pieces
It is surprising to see what superficial, inconsequential reasonings satisfy the most part of mankind. A piece of wit, a jest, a simile, or a quotation of an Author, passes for a mighty argument.... This weakness and effeminacy of mankind in being persuaded where they are delighted, have made them the sport of orators, poets, and men of wit.
giving dominion unjust
Unjust force can never give any just dominion.