The good are better made by ill, As odours crushed are sweeter still.
Samuel RogersRead
Almost all men are over anxious. No sooner do they enter the world than they lose that taste for natural and simple pleasures so remarkable in early life. Every hour do they ask themselves what progress they have made in the pursuit of wealth or honor and on they go as their fathers went before them till weary and sick at heart they look back with a sigh of regret to the golden time of their childhood.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on how people often lose appreciation for simple pleasures in pursuit of success and wealth as they grow older.
Samuel Rogers articulates the melancholy of adulthood, where the simple joys of childhood are replaced by an obsessive pursuit of material gain and societal status. He suggests that this change leads to a disconnection from what truly brings happiness, often resulting in regret as one reflects on the lost innocence and joy of youth. The quote serves as a reminder to cherish and nurture the simple pleasures in life that are often overshadowed by adult responsibilities and ambitions.
Themes
LifeWealthRegretHappinessChildhoodPleasures
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational talk about life choices, one might quote this to encourage people to appreciate simplicity.
More from Samuel Rogers
All quotes →Sweet Memory! wafted by thy gentle gale, Oft up the stream of Time I turn my sail.
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