Atrue critic oughtto dwell rather uponexcellenciesthan imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation.

-Addison,Joseph
  In The Spectator, no.291, 2 Feb.

Early in life,Duveen†noticed that Europe had plenty of art and America had plenty of money, and his entire astonishing career was the product of that simple observation.

-Behrman, S(amuel) N(athaniel)
  Duveen, ch.1.  Joseph Duveen was a highly successful US art dealer.

   Science is the reduction of the bewildering diversity of unique events to manageable uniformity within one of a number of symbol systems, and technology is the art of using thesesymbol systemssoastocontrol and organize unique events. Scientific observation is always a viewing of things through the refracting medium of a symbol system, and technological praxis is always handling of things in ways that some symbol system has dictated. Education in science and technology is essentially education on the symbol level.

-Huxley, Aldous Leonard
  In Daedalus, spring issue.

Let observation with extensive view, Survey mankind, from China to Peru.

-Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson
  The Vanity of Human Wishes, l.1^2.

We must trust to nothing but facts. These are presented to us by Nature, and cannot deceive.We ought, in every instance, to submit our reasoning to the test of experiment, and never to search for truth but by the natural road of experiment and observation.

-Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent
  Traite¤   e¤ l e¤  mentaire de la chimie ('Elements of Chemistry', translated by Robert Kerr).

Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits pre¤  pare¤  s. Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the prepared mind.

-Pasteur, Louis
  Speech at the inauguration of the Faculty of Science, University of Lille,7 Dec.

Observation is always selective. It needs a chosen object, a definite task, an interest, a point of view, a problem.

-Popper, Sir Karl Raimund
  Conjectures and Refutations (published1963), ch.1.

Religion isthetragedy of mankind† But I do know, from the inside as well as from personal observation, that religion appeals to something deep and irrational and strong within us, and that is what makes it so dangerous.

-Wilson, A(ndrew) N(orman)
Against Religion, no.19.

'To every Form of being is assigned,' Thus calmly spake the venerable Sage, 'An active Principle:öhowe'er removed From sense and observation, it subsists In all things, in all natures.'

-Wordsworth,William
  'The Excursion', bk.9, l.1^5.