If two lives join, there is oft a scar. They are one and one, with a shadowy third; One near one is too far.
Robert BrowningRead
Where the apple reddens never pry - lest we lose our Edens, Eve and I.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the delicate nature of paradise and the consequences of curiosity.
Robert Browning's quote suggests that some things, like paradise or innocence, are best left untouched. The mention of 'prying' implies that curiosity can lead to the loss of beauty and innocence, as represented by 'Eden'. It serves as a cautionary reminder of the potential fallout from venturing too far into the unknown.
Themes
ParadiseInnocenceCuriosityLossBeauty
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the dangers of curiosity in a literary context.
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All quotes βTis Man's to explore up and down, inch by inch, with the taper his reason.
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I dare not so honor my mere wishes and prayers as to put them for a moment beside your noble acts; but this know, I would rather submit to the worst of deaths, so far as pain goes, than have a single dog or cat tortured on the pretence of sparing me a twinge or two.
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How well I know what I mean to do When the long dark Autumn evenings come, And where, my soul, is thy pleasant hue? With the music of all thy voices, dumb In lifeβs November too! I shall be found by the fire, suppose, Oβer a great wise book as beseemeth age, While the shutters flap as the cross-wind blows, And I turn the page, and I turn the page, Not verse now, only prose!
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How good is life, the mere living!
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