As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Though age from folly could not give me freedom, It does from childishness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
With age comes the wisdom to recognize and abandon childish behaviors, although it may not free us from foolish thoughts.
This quote by William Shakespeare reflects on the nature of growing older and the insights that typically accompany age. While it acknowledges that age does not necessarily grant us immunity from foolishness, it does suggest that maturity allows us to shed childish behaviors and attitudes, leading to a more thoughtful and considered approach to life.
Themes
AgeWisdomMaturityChildishnessFolly
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech to emphasize the importance of learning from experiences.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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