Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Speech ·46 of 348
"Chance favours the prepared mind."
They never said that.
What people say
"Chance favours the prepared mind."
What was actually said
"Dans les champs de l'observation, le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés." Louis Pasteur — Lecture at the University of Lille, 7 December 1854
Why it stuck
Pasteur's line is conditional: in the fields of observation, chance favours only prepared minds. The English shortening drops the domain and the exclusivity.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.