On the network, a phrase attributed to the poet is often found, comparing geometry and poetry. We decided to check whether the authorship of this quote belongs to Pushkin.
The expression “inspiration is needed in geometry no less than in poetry” signed without any reservations by the name of Pushkin in popular network collections of quotes. Often the phrase indicating the authorship of the poet is given in social networks: on the platform "Zen",VKontakte"And in Facebook.
The phrase “inspiration is needed in geometry no less than in poetry” is really in Pushkin’s works. In his 16-volume complete works (published in 1937-1959), this is a statement Published In 11 volume. “Excerpts from letters, thoughts and comments”, among which there is a phrase about geometry and poetry, were First printed In the literary almanac “Northern Flowers”, which was published in St. Petersburg Anton Delvig-a poet, critic and lyceum comrade Pushkin. Almanac dated 1828, but he came out at the end of December 1827, this year he was dated in the collections of works.
In “Excerpts from letters, thoughts and comments”, philosophical statements are collected. Some of them indicate the source, for example, Pushkin gives a quote from a philosopher and mathematics Blaza Pascal: "Everything that exceeds the geometry exceeds us." But in the case of a phrase about geometry and poetry, there is no such mention.
IN noma of the sign In addition, this quote is given again to the 16-volume collected works. The compilers explain that we are talking about an altered quote from Jean d’Alambert - French philosopher, mathematics and co -author of the main monument of the Enlightenment, ""Encyclopedia of Sciences, Arts and Crafts".
The desired phrase really has D’Alambert, in preface The publication of the "Encyclopedia" of 1763, in which the French philosopher and mathematician talks about the important role of each of the exact sciences.
Pushkin was well acquainted with the works of French encyclopedists. How I remembered His sister Olga Sergeevna, the library of their father Sergei Lvovich Pushkin "consisted of classics of French and philosophers of the 18th century." There was a complete 35-volume “Encyclopedia” in the poet’s personal library: He won She was on the cards of his acquaintance Ivan Great Polish, who, presumably, handed the books to Pushkin in 1826.
Thus, we can say with confidence that the phrase “inspiration is needed in geometry no less than in poetry” is a slightly changed quote from the French philosopher Jean D’Alamber, who did not lose his original meaning in the retelling of Pushkin.
Photo on the cover: Wikimedia Commons
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