Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by James Russell Lowell

Quote by James Russell Lowell

Work

Books and Libraries: Democracy and Other Papers

This book is a compilation of essays that delve into the significance of books and libraries within the fabric of society. It includes discussions on the role of books in fostering democracy and addresses various related topics. more

Author

James Russell Lowell
James Russell Lowell

James Russell Lowell was an American poet, born on February 22, 1819, and died on August 12, 1891. His poetry is known for its profound social insights and admiration for nature. more

You May Also Like

“What first truly stirred my soul was not fear or pain, nor was it pleasure or games; it was the yearning for freedom. I had to gain freedom-but from what, from whom? Little by little, in the course of time, I mounted freedom's rough unaccommodating ascent. To gain freedom first of all from the Turk, that was the initial step; after that, later, this new struggle began: to gain freedom from the inner Turk-from ignorance, malice and envy, from fear and laziness, from dazzling false ideas; and finally from idols, all of them, even the most revered and beloved.”

“If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.”