Re:Below the Surface – Finds from an archaeological project ...
by arethuza on Monday July 02, 2018 @04:53AM
(#17440206)
Your comment reminded me of this quote:
"The mind seemed to grow giddy by looking so far back into the abyss of time; and whilst we listened with earnestness and admiration to the philosopher who was now unfolding to us the order and series of these wonderful events, we became sensible how much further reason may sometimes go than imagination may venture to follow"
This was Thomas Playfair commenting on the works of his friend James Hutton. Of course they were talking about deep geological time rather than human history, but the same sense of wonder is there.
NB I actually became interested in geology pretty much because it is history at an epic scale.
"The mind seemed to grow giddy by looking so far back into the abyss of time; and whilst we listened with earnestness and admiration to the philosopher who was now unfolding to us the order and series of these wonderful events, we became sensible how much further reason may sometimes go than imagination may venture to follow"
This was Thomas Playfair commenting on the works of his friend James Hutton. Of course they were talking about deep geological time rather than human history, but the same sense of wonder is there.
NB I actually became interested in geology pretty much because it is history at an epic scale.