"While Genius was thus wasting his strength in eccentric flights, I saw a person of a very different appearance, named Application."

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We often value the exterior and superficial aspect of things more than their inner reality. Bad manners taint everything even justice and reason. The 'how' of things matters most, and even the most disagreeable matters can be sweetened and gilded over with the proper appearance. Such is the bias and the weakness of the human mind.

— Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable