19 Quotes by Ernest Lawrence

It is a source of gratification to us all that we have been able to contribute a little to an understanding of the nucleus of the atom.

We have reached the age, those of us to whom fortune has assigned a post in life's struggle, when beaten and smashed and biffed by the lashing of the dragon's tail, we begin to appreciate that the old man was not such a fool after all. We saw our parents wrestling with the same dragon, and we thought, though we never spoke a thought aloud, 'Why doesn't he hit him on the head?' Alas, comrads, we know now. We have hit the dragon on the head and we have seen the dragon smile.

But there is no joy in Mudville-mighty Casey has struck out.

Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere; and somewhere hearts are light; And somewhere men are laughing; and little children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville- great Casey has struck out.

It never does much good to find out why you can't; put your effort into what you can do.

The atomic bombs will surely shorten the war, and let us hope that they will effectively end war as a possibility in human affairs.

I am mindful that scientific achievement is rooted in the past, is cultivated to full stature by many contemporaries and flourishes only in favorable environment. No individual is alone responsible for a single stepping stone along the path of progress, and where the path is smooth progress is most rapid. In my own work this has been particularly true.

I have gotten over feeling badly. We would be eternally miserable if our errors worried us too much because as we push forward we will make plenty more.

It never does much good to find out why you can’t; put your effort into what you can do.