Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.

The saying links learning to intrinsic motivation: when study is pursued without genuine desire or curiosity, it becomes mechanical and fails to “stick.” Da Vinci’s point anticipates modern ideas about attention and memory—interest deepens engagement, and engagement strengthens retention. It also carries an ethical-aesthetic undertone typical of Renaissance humanism: knowledge is not merely accumulated but animated by appetite, wonder, and purpose. The quote thus serves as a warning against rote schooling and a recommendation to cultivate desire—through meaningful questions, practical application, or personal stakes—so that study becomes an active, assimilating process rather than passive intake.