Karl Friedrich Gauss Quotes (11 Quotes)

If others would but reflect on mathematical truths as deeply and as continuously as I have, they would make my discoveries.

There are problems to whose solution I would attach an infinitely greater importance than to those of mathematics, for example touching ethics, or our relation to God, or concerning our destiny and our future but their solution lies wholly beyond us and completely outside the province of science.

A reply to Olbers' attempt in 1816 to entice him to work on Fermat's Theorem. I confess that Fermat's Theorem as an isolated proposition has very little interest for me, because I could easily lay down a multitude of such propositions, which one could neither prove nor dispose of.

While working, when informed that his wife is dying Ask her to wait a moment I am almost done.

Mathematics is the queen of the sciences.

It may be true that people who are merely mathematicians have certain specific shortcomings however, that is not the fault of mathematics, but is true of every exclusive occupation.

His motto Few, but ripe.

A great part of its higher arithmetic theories derives an additional charm from the peculiarity that important propositions, with the impress of simplicity on them, are often easily discovered by induction, and yet are of so profound a character that we cannot find the demonstrations till after many vain attempts and even then, when we do succeed, it is often by some tedious and artificial process, while the simple methods may long remain concealed.

Finally, two days ago, I succeeded not on account of my hard efforts, but by the grace of the Lord. Like a sudden flash of lightning, the riddle was solved. I am unable to say what was the conducting thread that connected what I previously knew with what made my success possible.

Theory attracts practice as the magnet attracts iron.

His second motto Thou, nature, art my goddess to thy laws my services are bound....