Chapter and verse quotation-citation correspondence site

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

H. John Rogers writes: “The Onala Club in Pittsburgh has a placemat on its wall that reads, ‘Fai bene—Do good /Scordate—Forget about it / Fai male—Do bad / Pensaci—Think about it.’ ” He wonders if this is an old Italian saying, or if someone can provide a specific source.

“something wrong with the experiment” (May-June). Robert Kantowicz supplied a sidelight on this topic from Walter Isaacson’s Einstein: His Life and Universe (2007), which states on page 252 that when a student asked Einstein how he would have reacted had eclipse observations contradicted the general theory of relativity, the physicist replied, “Then I would have been sorry for the dear Lord; the theory is correct.”

Send inquiries and answers to “Chapter and Verse,” Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge 02138, or via e-mail to chapterandverse@harvardmag.com.

Related topics

You might also like

The Gretel and the Great War author on how the Lampoon derailed his science career—and set him on a literary path.

In 1954, Gregory Corso moved into Eliot House. How he stayed there is a literary legend.

The popular Harvard English professor published Under Water this spring.

Most popular

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.  

Explore More From Current Issue

Smiling woman stands beside a large skull in a display cabinet.

From competing in youth gymnastics to studying tetrapods, the Harvard curator has always chased her curiosity.

A vase of yellow flowers on a table next to an orange and a glass.

Harvard Art Museums restores a rare glimpse of an American master.

Three hands hold smartphones displaying social media profiles with likes and hearts.

Tell us about how social media impacts your daily life.