Oh! how immaterial are all materials! What things real are…
““Oh! how immaterial are all materials! What things real are there, but imponderable thoughts? Here now ’s the very dreaded symbol of grim death, by a mere hap, made the expressive sign of the help and hope of most endangered life. A life-buoy of a coffin! Does it go further? Can it be that in some spiritual sense the coffin is, after all, but an immortality-preserver! I ’ll think of that.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage reflects on the paradox of material objects being insignificant compared to intangible thoughts, and muses on the coffin as a symbol of both death and preservation of life.
In simple terms: Thoughts outweigh physical things; symbols can hold dual meanings.
Key Takeaway
Consider the deeper meaning behind everyday objects.
Themes
materialism
impermanence
symbolism
Mood
contemplative
poetic
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- artistic expression
- philosophical contemplation
Key Concepts
existentialism
duality
life and death
Questions to Reflect On
- What objects hold contradictory meanings for you?
- How do intangible ideas shape reality?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize death.