Number Quotes

That climate acts in main part indirectly by favouring other species, we clearly see in the prodigious number of plants which in our gardens can perfectly well endure our climate, but which never become naturalised, for they cannot compete with our native plants nor resist destruction by our native animals.

I believe that animals have descended from at most only four or five progenitors, and plants from an equal or lesser number.

Without doubt, machinery has greatly increased the number of well-to-do idlers.

The Savior of the whole world chose twelve disciples, and even one of that small number, selected by superhuman wisdom, turned out a traitor and a devil.

I hold that while man exists, it is his duty to improve not only his own condition, but to assist in ameliorating mankind; and therefore ... I am for those means which will give the greatest good to the greatest number.

Eradications are special. Zero is a magic number. You either do what it takes to get to zero and you're glad you did it; or you get close, give up and it goes back to where it was before, in which case you wasted all that credibility, activity, money that could have been applied to other things.