"Mathematical discoveries, like springtime violets in the woods, have their season which no man can hasten or retard"

This quote by Janos Bolyai speaks to the idea that mathematical discoveries, like the violets that bloom in the woods in the springtime, have their own timing and can not be hurried or delayed. Bolyai is recommending that mathematical discoveries are not something that can be required or manipulated, but rather something that must be enabled to occur in its own time. He is emphasizing the importance of perseverance and understanding when it comes to mathematical discoveries, as they can not be rushed or postponed. Bolyai is also recommending that mathematical discoveries are a natural event, like the flowering of the violets in the woods in the springtime. He is highlighting the charm and naturalness of mathematical discoveries, and how they ought to be valued and appreciated. Bolyai's quote is a reminder that mathematical discoveries are something to be celebrated and taken pleasure in, and that they must be enabled to take place in their own time.