Beauty stands In the admiration only of weak minds Led captive.
Interpretation
True beauty is not just surface-level admiration; it often reflects the superficiality of those who only see the surface.
John Milton's quote suggests that what is often deemed as beauty can be a mere product of weak minds that are entrapped by superficial appearances. It implies that genuine appreciation of beauty requires a deeper understanding and perception beyond what is immediately visible, challenging individuals to cultivate inner strength and insight rather than be prisoners of shallow admiration.
In practice
In a discussion about art appreciation, one could use this quote to emphasize that true beauty is often overlooked by those who do not seek deeper meaning.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.
Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
Imaginary evils soon become real one by indulging our reflections on them.
Communism is the riddle of history solved, and it knows itself to be this solution.
Meditation, you know, comes by a process imagination. You go through all these processes purification of the elements - making the one melt the other, that into the next higher, that into mind, that into spirit, and then you are spirit.
It seemed to Scobie that life was immeasurably long. Couldn’t the test of man have been carried out in fewer years? Couldn’t we have committed our first major sin at seven, have ruined ourselves for love or hate at ten, have clutched at redemption on a fifteen-year-old deathbed?
Actually, your soul and mine are the same. We appear and disappear with each other.
I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.
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