The sea is calm tonight. The tide is full, the moon lies fair Upon the straits;- on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand, glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Matthew ArnoldRead
Resolve to be thyself: and know that he who finds himself, loses his misery.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Be true to yourself, and self-discovery will alleviate your suffering.
In this quote, Matthew Arnold emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-awareness. By resolving to be true to oneself, one embarks on a journey of self-discovery that can lead to the relinquishment of personal struggles and misery, highlighting the transformative power of genuine self-acceptance.
Themes
SelfAuthenticityMiserySelf-DiscoveryTruth
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about personal growth.
More from Matthew Arnold
All quotes βAnd each day brings it's pretty dust, Our soon-choked souls to fll And we forget because we must, And not because we will.
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It is almost impossible to exaggerate the proneness of the human mind to take miracles as evidence, and to seek for miracles as evidence.
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To have the sense of creative activity is the great happiness and the great proof of being alive.
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Nature, with equal mind, Sees all her sons at play, Sees man control the wind, The wind sweep man away.
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Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human spirit.
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