Oft credited in its entirety to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - the good Frater's favorite quote. Thank you, William Hutchinson Murray (b:18 March 1913 - d:19 March 1996)
"This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth - the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans - that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!'"
-W. H. Murray in The Scottish Himalaya Expedition, 1951.
- quoted "couplets" from J. W. von Goethe in Faust, 214-30 based on John Anster's "very free translation".
1 comment:
Strange, or perhaps not, that this should be the quote of this past December. . of that particular time and moment. So we get to ride the magic carpet.
C.
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