None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
I have a deep sympathy with war; it so apes the gait and bearing of the soul.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Thoreau reflects on how war mirrors the inner struggles of the human spirit.
In this quote, Thoreau expresses a complex relationship with war, indicating that while he feels a deep sympathy for it, he recognizes that it emulates the qualities and struggles of the human soul. He suggests that the conflict and turmoil of war echo the conflicts that individuals face within themselves, highlighting the darker aspects of human nature and the depths of human experience.
Themes
WarSoulSympathyConflictHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about the impacts of war on society, one might use this quote to illustrate the psychological effects of conflict.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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That grand old poem called Winter
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