Ah! Wretched and too solitary he who loves not his own company.
Abraham CowleyRead
A mighty pain to love it is,_x000D_ _x000D_ And 'tis a pain that pain to miss;_x000D_ _x000D_ But, of all pains, the greatest pain_x000D_ _x000D_ Is to love, but love in vain.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Loving someone can be a painful experience, especially if the love is unreturned.
This quote reflects the profound complexity of love, highlighting that while love can be the source of great joy, it also brings immense pain, particularly when it is not reciprocated. Cowley expresses that the anguish of longing for someone who does not love you back is the deepest form of suffering, overshadowing other forms of emotional pain.
Themes
LovePainHeartbreakLossLonging
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the challenges of love during a relationship seminar.
More from Abraham Cowley
All quotes →May I a small house and large garden have; And a few friends, And many books, both true.
Abraham CowleyRead
Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise,_x000D_ _x000D_ He who defers this work from day to day,_x000D_ _x000D_ Does on a river's bank expecting stay,_x000D_ _x000D_ Till the whole stream, which stopped him, should be gone,_x000D_ _x000D_ That runs, and as it runs, for ever will run on.
Abraham CowleyRead
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