July 7, 2014

Vico by Francesco Solimena

“ Do not breed within you any indolent wishes of learning dropping down from heaven into your bosoms while you slumber. Stir yourselves up with a productive desire for wisdom. By your increasing and undaunted labors, make trial of what you can do, put to the test how much you are capable of. Ply your gifts and energies in all possible directions. Stir your minds up, enkindle that the divinity that fills you. If you take this course of action (poets came to it by nature, as it happens) you too will engender God-inspired marvels of your own, and surprise yourselves in the doing of it. ” — Giambattista Vico, 1732