This was posted recently on a GTD list. The venerable, scholarly, and slightly unhinged Notes & Queries has the following moto:
"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE
"WHEN FOUND, MAKE A NOTE OF," is a most admirable rule; and if the
excellent Captain had never uttered another word, he might have passed for a
profound philosopher. It is a rule which should shine in gilt letters on the
gingerbread of youth, and the spectacle-case of age. Every man who reads
excellent Captain had never uttered another word, he might have passed for a
profound philosopher. It is a rule which should shine in gilt letters on the
gingerbread of youth, and the spectacle-case of age. Every man who reads
with any view beyond mere pastime, knows the value of it. Every one, more or
less, acts upon it. Every one regrets and suffers who neglects it. There is
some trouble in it, to be sure; but in what good thing is there not? and
what trouble does it save! Nay, what mischief! Half the lies that are
current in the world owe their origin to a misplaced confidence in memory,
rather than to intentional falsehood. We have never known more than one man
who could deliberately and conscientiously say that his memory had _never_
deceived him; and he (when he saw that he had excited the surprise of his
hearers, especially those who knew how many years he had spent in the
management of important commercial affairs) used to add,--because he had
never trusted it; but had uniformly written down what he was anxious to
remember."
less, acts upon it. Every one regrets and suffers who neglects it. There is
some trouble in it, to be sure; but in what good thing is there not? and
what trouble does it save! Nay, what mischief! Half the lies that are
current in the world owe their origin to a misplaced confidence in memory,
rather than to intentional falsehood. We have never known more than one man
who could deliberately and conscientiously say that his memory had _never_
deceived him; and he (when he saw that he had excited the surprise of his
hearers, especially those who knew how many years he had spent in the
management of important commercial affairs) used to add,--because he had
never trusted it; but had uniformly written down what he was anxious to
remember."
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/7n100110.txt
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