"Dicebat Bernardus Carnotensis non esse quasi nanos, gigantium humeris insdentes, ut possimus plura eis et remotiora videre, non utique proprii visus acumine, aut eminentia corporis, sed quia in altum subvenimur et extollimur magnitudine gigantea" (John of Salisbury, 1159)
"What Descartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in taking the colours of thin plates into philosophical consideration. If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" (Isaac Newton, February 5th, 1676)