No one should approach the temple of science with the soul of a money changer.
Thomas BrowneRead
Life itself is but the shadow of death, and souls departed but the shadows of the living.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the relationship between life and death, suggesting that life is fleeting and may be overshadowed by the concept of mortality.
Thomas Browne's quote emphasizes the transient nature of life and the inevitability of death. It suggests that what we experience in life is ultimately a mere shadow compared to the permanence of death, and that the souls of those who have departed serve as echoes of the living. This philosophical perspective invites contemplation of our existence and challenges us to consider the deeper implications of life beyond our immediate experiences.
Themes
LifeDeathPhilosophyMortalityExistence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a eulogy to reflect on the fleeting nature of life.
More from Thomas Browne
All quotes →Content may dwell in all stations. To be low but above contempt may be high enough to be happy.
Thomas BrowneRead
Thus there are two books from whence I collect my Divinity; besides that written one of God, another of his servant Nature, that universal and public Manuscript, that lies expans'd unto the eyes of all; those that never saw him in the one, have discovered him in the other.
Thomas BrowneRead
To be content with death may be better than to desire it.
Thomas BrowneRead
The long habit of living indisposeth us for dying.
Thomas BrowneRead
Life is a pure flame and we live by an invisible sun within us.
Thomas BrowneRead
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