We shall also demonstrate the following property, of which the original inventor is M. Desargues, of Lyon, one of the great minds of our time, and most versed in mathematics, amongst other topics, in conics, and whose writings on this subject, although small in number, have given ample testimony to those who have wished to receive of its knowledge. I am willing to confess that I owe the little I have found on this subject to his writings, and that I have endeavored, as far as possible, to imitate his method...
• Blaise Pascal, "Essais pour les coniques," (Feb, 1640), Œuvres complètes, Vol. 2 (1858) Blaise Pascal, Charles Lahure, Madame Gilberte Perier, pp.354-357, as quoted by Florian Cajori, A History of Elementary Mathematics: with Hints on Methods of Teaching (1905)
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Nous démontrerons aussi la propriété suivante dont le premier inventeur est M. Desargues, Lyonnois, un des grands esprits de ce temps, et des plus versés aux mathématiques, et entre autres aux coniques, dont les écrits sur cette matière, quoiqu'en petit nombre, en ont donné un ample témoignage à ceux qui auront voulu en recevoir l'intelligence. Je veux bien avouer que je dois le peu que j'ai trouvé sur cette matière à ses écrits, et que j'ai tâché d'imiter, autant qu'il m'a été possible, sa méthode...

— We shall also demonstrate the following property

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Nous démontrerons aussi la propriété suivante dont le premier inventeur est M. Desargues, Lyonnois, un des grands esprits de ce temps, et des plus versés aux mathématiques, et entre autres aux coniques, dont les écrits sur cette matière, quoiqu'en petit nombre, en ont donné un ample témoignage à ceux qui auront voulu en recevoir l'intelligence. Je veux bien avouer que je dois le peu que j'ai trouvé sur cette matière à ses écrits, et que j'ai tâché d'imiter, autant qu'il m'a été possible, sa méthode..." in the context of "We shall also demonstrate the following property, of which the original inventor is M. Desargues, of Lyon, one of the great minds of our time, and most versed in mathematics, amongst other topics, in conics, and whose writings on this subject, although small in number, have given ample testimony to those who have wished to receive of its knowledge. I am willing to confess that I owe the little I have found on this subject to his writings, and that I have endeavored, as far as possible, to imitate his method...
• Blaise Pascal, "Essais pour les coniques," (Feb, 1640), Œuvres complètes, Vol. 2 (1858) Blaise Pascal, Charles Lahure, Madame Gilberte Perier, pp.354-357, as quoted by Florian Cajori, A History of Elementary Mathematics: with Hints on Methods of Teaching (1905)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Girard Desargues" (Quotes about Desargues) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Girard Desargues

About Girard Desargues

Girard Desargues (21 February 1591 – September 1661) was a French mathematician, architect and engineer, who is considered one of the founders of projective geometry. Desargues' theorem, the Desargues graph, and the Desargues crater are named in his honour.