Where the statue stood Of Newton, with his prism and silent face, The marble index of a mind forever Voyaging through strange seas of thought alone.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on Isaac Newton's profound contributions to science and his solitary pursuit of knowledge.
Wordsworth's quote highlights the essence of Isaac Newton's intellectual journey, portraying him as a solitary genius whose mind explored the depths of thought and discovery. The image of the statue symbolizes both his monumental achievements and the isolating nature of the quest for knowledge, suggesting that great thinkers often voyage alone through complex and uncharted realms of understanding.
In practice
In a speech about innovation, one might reference Newton's solitary pursuit of knowledge to inspire others to embrace their own unique journeys.
For mightier far_x000D_ _x000D_ Than strength of nerve or sinew, or the sway_x000D_ _x000D_ Of magic potent over sun and star,_x000D_ _x000D_ Is love, though oft to agony distrest,_x000D_ _x000D_ And though his favourite be feeble woman's breast.
By all means sometimes be alone; salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear; dare to look in thy chest; and tumble up and down what thou findest there.
There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,_x000D_ _x000D_ The earth, and every common sight,_x000D_ _x000D_ To me did seem_x000D_ _x000D_ Apparelled in celestial light,_x000D_ _x000D_ The glory and the freshness of a dream.
Books are yours, Within whose silent chambers treasure lies Preserved from age to age; more precious far Than that accumulated store of gold And orient gems, which, for a day of need, The Sultan hides deep in ancestral tombs. These hoards of truth you can unlock at will.
The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune.
Shalt show us how divine a thing A woman may be made.
Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. Anything that is disagreeable must surely have beneficial economic effects.
Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it.
Non-violence is the article of faith.
If God can't get the attention of the church house, He's certainly not going to stop by the White House.
I had a sense then of how if we truly understood how many of the unimportant things we do will end up outliving us, we'd never be able to go on.
Our whole social environment seems to us to be filled with forces which really exist only in our own minds.
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