Leonardo da Vinci, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883) From the published edition of Jean Paul Richter (1883), as translated into English by Mrs. R. C. Bell and Edward John Poynter

Though I may not, like them, be able to quote other authors, I shall rely on that which is much greater and more worthy — on experience, the mistress of their Masters. They go about puffed up and pompous, dressed and decorated with [the fruits], not of their own labours, but of those of others. And they will not allow me my own. They will scorn me as an inventor; but how much more might they — who are not inventors but vaunters and declaimers of the works of others — be blamed.

— Leonardo da Vinci on Quotations

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Though I may not, like them, be able to quote other authors, I shall rely on that which is much greater and more worthy — on experience, the mistress of their Masters. They go about puffed up and pompous, dressed and decorated with [the fruits], not of their own labours, but of those of others. And they will not allow me my own. They will scorn me as an inventor; but how much more might they — who are not inventors but vaunters and declaimers of the works of others — be blamed." in the context of "Leonardo da Vinci, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883) From the published edition of Jean Paul Richter (1883), as translated into English by Mrs. R. C. Bell and Edward John Poynter " to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Quotations" (D) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Leonardo da Vinci

About Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) was an Italian Renaissance painter, architect, inventor, engineer, sculptor, and musician. His best known painting is the Mona Lisa.