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And when a whirl-winde hath blowne the dust of the Churchyard into the Church, and man sweeps out the dust of the Church into the Church-yard, who will undertake to sift those dusts again, and to pronounce, This is the Patrician, this is the noble flower, and this the yeomanly, this the Plebian bran.
John Donne
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote explores the complexities of social status and identity in the context of life and death.

John Donne reflects on the inevitability of death and the blurring of social distinctions that occurs after death, suggesting that once we are gone, it becomes impossible to differentiate between people based on their social status. The churchyard symbolizes the common end for all, and the act of sifting dust represents the futile attempt to classify people in a realm where such classifications no longer hold significance.

Themes

DeathIdentitySocial StatusEqualityPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the equality of all individuals, one might reference this quote to emphasize that social distinctions vanish in death.

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I call not that virginity a virtue, which resideth onely in the bodies integrity; much less if it be with a purpose of perpetually keeping it: for then it is a most inhumane vice. - But I call that Virginity a virtue which is willing and desirous to yield it self upon honest and lawfull terms, when just reason requireth; and until then, is kept with a modest chastity of body and mind.
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