Delay always breeds danger

[NutsKo]

Hi all,

I am not a native speaker and I have trouble in understanding the underlying meaning of the quote:

"Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it."

I understand the first part, but the second remains mysterious to me.

Thanks for the help

 

[Beryl from Northallerton]

Hello NutsKo, and Welcome to the Forum!
Yes, that second part is a little mysterious isn't it? Who said it? Or where did you find it? (We call this source)

 

[NutsKo]

Miguel De Cervantes (1547–1616), Spanish writer. Don Quixote, in Don Quixote, pt. 1, bk. 4, ch. 2, trans by P. Motteux (1605).

 

[PaulQ]

The English is somewhat old-fashioned but still comprehensible

To protract = to stretch out (over distance or time); to take longer (usually 'much longer') than necessary implementing something.

So to protract a great design is often to ruin it." = to take longer than necessary to put an idea into action often causes that idea to fail / to be ruined.

 

[Beryl from Northallerton]

Okay, thanks. Well in this case 'to protract' would mean to draw out or to prolong (which is not quote the same as delay, but close).
So he's saying 'he who hesitates is lost'. (Cross-posted)

 

[wandle]

to protract a great design is often to ruin it.

protract
1. prolong in time

great
6. of significant importance or consequence
9. arising from or possessing idealism in thought, action, etc; heroic:

design
5.a plan, scheme, or project

If you draw out a large-scale project over a long time, then in many cases that will ruin it.

 

[NutsKo]

Thanks a lot for your help everyone