| William
Blake The tree
which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that
stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity … and some scarce
see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination
itself. William Blake (1757–1827),
English poet, painter, engraver. Letter, 23 Aug. 1799 (published in The Letters
of William Blake, 1956). Lord
Byron As long
as I retain my feeling and my passion for Nature, I can partly soften or subdue
my other passions and resist or endure those of others.
Lord Byron (1788–1824), English poet. Letter, 10 June 1822, to author Isaac D’Israeli
(published in Byron’s Letters and Journals, vol. 9, ed. by Leslie A. Marchand,
1979). Walt
Whitman After
you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on—have
found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear—what remains? Nature
remains. Walt Whitman (1819–92),
U.S. poet. Specimen Days and Collect, “New Themes Entered Upon” (1882). James
Thomson I know
no subject more elevating, more amazing, more ready to the poetical enthusiasm,
the philosophical reflection, and the moral sentiment than the works of nature.
Where can we meet such variety, such beauty, such magnificence?
James Thomson (1700–1748), Scottish poet. The Seasons, Preface. The poem’s
novel attitude toward nature anticipated the Romantic movement. Anne
Frank The best
remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere
where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only
then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people
happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly
always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever
the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all
troubles. Anne Frank (1929–45),
German Jewish refugee, diarist. The Diary of a Young Girl (1947; tr. 1952), entry
for 23 Feb. 1944. All the above quotes are courtesy of The Columbia
Dictionary of Quotations. Columbia University Press (1993). Microsoft Bookshelf
‘95 Anonymous
Kill Nothing but Time... Take Nothing
but Pictures... Leave Nothing but Tracks... | |