None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Many claim to appreciate music, yet their actions often reveal otherwise.
Thoreau points out the contradiction between people's claims of loving music and their actual engagement with it. He suggests that true appreciation of music should reflect in their actions and choices, rather than being merely a verbal declaration.
Themes
MusicAppreciationActionsLifeOpinions
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the role of art in society, this quote highlights the importance of genuine engagement.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes βThrough want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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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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