With how many things are we on the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that fear and negligence prevent us from exploring new knowledge and experiences.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's quote highlights the barriers imposed by cowardice and carelessness in the pursuit of understanding the world around us. It implies that if we were to overcome these obstacles, we could discover and learn so much more about life, ideas, and ourselves, ultimately expanding our horizons and enriching our experiences.
In practice
This quote could be used in a motivational speech to encourage students to overcome their fears in pursuit of knowledge.
Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of a void, but out of chaos; the materials must in the first place be afforded; it can give form to dark, shapeless substances, but cannot bring into being the substance itself.
The instructor can scarcely give sensibility where it is essentially wanting, nor talent to the unpercipient block. But he can cultivate and direct the affections of the pupil, who puts forth, as a parasite, tendrils by which to cling, not knowing to what - to a supporter or a destroyer.
What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the spectre which had haunted my midnight pillow.
I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine.
Heavy misfortunes have befallen us, but let us only cling closer to what remains, and transfer our love for those whom we have lost to those who yet live. Our circle will be small, but bound close by the ties of affection and mutual misfortune. And when time shall have softened your despair, new and dear objects of care will be born to replace those of whom we have been so cruelly deprived.
Hateful day when I received life!' I exclaimed in agony. 'Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemlance. Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred.' - Frankenstein
These heavy troubles are heralds of weighty mercies.
The days have taught you not to trust happiness because it hurts when it deceives.
As the water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it, so a wise man adapts himself to circumstances.
You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world.
Much reading has brought upon us a learned barbarism.
O God, help me to win, but in thy wisdom if thou willest me not to win, then O God, make me a good loser.
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