Books Quote by Alan Watts
““One of the special delights of my childhood was to go and see the cases of illuminated manuscripts in the British Museum, and to walk, as every child can, right into their pages--losing myself in an enchanted world of gold, landscapes and skies whose colours were indwelt with light as if their sun shone not above but in them. Most marvelous of all were the many manuscripts mysteriously entitled "Book of Hours", since I did not know how one kept hours in a book. Their title-pages and richly ornamented initials showed scenes of times and seasons--ploughing in springtime, formal gardens bright in summer with heraldic roses, autumn harvesting, and logging in winter snow under clear, cold skies seen through a filigree screen of black trees. I could only assume that these books were some ancient device for marking the passage of time and they associated themselves in my mind with sundials in old country yards upon hot afternoons, with the whirring and booming of clocks in towers, with astrolabes engraved with the mysterious signs of the Zodiac, and-above all-with the slow, cyclic sweep of the sun, moon and stars over my head.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Art and Perception, 1960s
The speaker reflects on childhood wonder at illuminated manuscripts, seeing them as portals to timeless, cyclical natural rhythms and a way to measure time.
In simple terms: Childhood awe at books as windows to nature and time.
Key Takeaway
Embrace curiosity and see art as a bridge to deeper understanding.
Themes
wonder
history
time
art
nature
Mood
nostalgic
reflective
inspired
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- museum visits
- reading ancient texts
- studying art history
- reflecting on personal growth
Key Concepts
illumination
symbolism
cyclical perception
temporal awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- How do personal memories shape our perception of history?
- What can ancient art teach us about modern timekeeping?
A Different Perspective
The recollection may romanticize the past, overlooking historical complexities of manuscript creation.
