The facts are seen, and yet the spinning nerves will change their complexion; and without enlarging or minimizing, they will alternate their effect on us immensely through the colour presenting them now sombre, now hopeful: doing its work of extravagance upon perceptibly plain matter.
"The Tragic Comedians, Complete"
George Meredith Last Updated: March 7, 2009
The roots of the tree, rather than the leaves, are the sources of its life; and from the dawn of history, from Academus to Cambridge, the culture of the University has been the broad foundation-stone on which is built the kindergarten's A B C. But these builders did make a mistake in minimizing the gravity of the problem before them; in thinking it a matter of years and decades; in therefore building quickly and laying their foundation carelessly, and lowering the standard of knowing, until they had scattered haphazard through the South some dozen poorly equipped high schools and miscalled them universities.
"The Souls of Black Folk"
W. E. B. Du Bois
The exclusive consideration of courses of action of the complete type possesses the advantage of minimizing the total number of solutions under study.
"Sound Military Decision"
U.s. Naval War College