In what census of living creatures, the dead of mankind…
““In what census of living creatures, the dead of mankind are include...how it is that to his name who yesterday departed for the other world, we prefix so significant and infidel a word, and yet do not thus entitle him, if he but embarks for the remotest Indies of this living Earth; why the Life Insurance Companies pay death forfeitures upon immortals; in what eternal, unstirring paralysis, and deadly hopeless trance, yet lies antique Adam, who died sixty round centuries ago; how it is that we still refuse to be comforted for those who we nevertheless maintain are dwelling in unspeakable bliss; why all the living so strive to hush all the dead; wherefore but the rumour of a knocking in a tomb will terrify a whole city. All these things are not without their meanings.””
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 questions humanity’s fear of death, the paradox of honoring the dead, and the meaning behind rituals surrounding mortality.
In simple terms: We grapple with death and its rituals.
Key Takeaway
Contemplate how societies treat death.
Themes
death
ritual
meaning
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- funeral customs
- historical analysis
- personal grief
Key Concepts
philosophical
cultural critique
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we fear the unknown after death?
- What comforts us in mourning?
A Different Perspective
Rituals may mask deeper anxieties.