Sire, I had no need of that hypothesis.

Pierre-Simon Laplace (more by this author)

Legend has it that Pierre-Simon Laplace, one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived, explained his famous book on the motions of the planets to Napoleon. (In fact, Napoleon was an accomplished amateur mathematician himself, having discovered a new proof for the Pythagorean Theorem). Upon hearing Laplace's explanation, Napoleon said to him: "And sir, you have written a huge book on the system of the world without once mentioning the name of the author of the universe. Why?" Legend has it that this quotation was Laplace's reply to Napoleon.

Type: Prose
Context: Unknown
Uttered: 1809

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Submitted by GLloyd Rowsey (about the submitter)

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I have a law degree (Stanford, 66') but have never practiced. Instead, from 1967 through 1977, I tried to contribute to the revolution in America. As unsuccessful as everyone else over that decade, in 1978 I went to work for the U.S. Forest (more...)

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