--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Old men, for the most part, are like old…" description: "\"Old men, for the most part, are like old chronicles that give you dull but true accounts of times past, and are worth knowing only on that score.\" — Al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/alexander-pope-235_accounts_old-men-for-the-most-part-are-like-old-c_1872900.png" --- # Old men, for the most part, are like old chronicles that… ![“Old men, for the most part, are like old chronicles that give you dull but true accounts of times past, and are worth knowing only on that score.” quote by Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/alexander-pope-235_accounts_old-men-for-the-most-part-are-like-old-c_1872900.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/alexander-pope-235_accounts_old-men-for-the-most-part-are-like-old-c_1872900.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/alexander-pope-235_accounts_old-men-for-the-most-part-are-like-old-c_1872900.png) > “Old men, for the most part, are like old chronicles that give you dull but true accounts of times past, and are worth knowing only on that score.” [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Old men are like history books: dull but accurate, valuable only for their factual record. **In simple terms:** Old men are factual but uninteresting. Key Takeaway Seek wisdom, not just facts. Themes age wisdom history Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family gatherings - historical research - intergenerational dialogue Key Concepts historical perspective nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What can we learn from seemingly dull accounts? - How do we balance respect with relevance? A Different Perspective Older voices can be dismissed as irrelevant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Old men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-men/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Recollection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recollection/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-past/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, it's age old pain, It's ancient tale of being apart or together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab/whenever-i-hear-old-chronicles-of-love-it-s-age-old-pain-it-s-ancient/) AB > [Too often in time past, religion has brought forth criminal and shameful actions... How many evils has religion caused?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/too-often-in-time-past-religion-has-brought-forth-criminal-and/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [the present is the merest flicker between the long long time past and the things that haven't yet happened but most assuredly will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estela-portillo-trambley/the-present-is-the-merest-flicker-between-the-long-long-time-past-and/) Estela Portillo Trambley > [Books -lighthouses erected in the great sea of time -books, the precious depositories of the thoughts and creations of genius -books, by whose sorcery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/books-lighthouses-erected-in-the-great-sea-of-time-books-the-precious/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The time to recognize the power of community is here again. Not as some romanticized renaissance from times past, but as a necessarily new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hanson-lasater/the-time-to-recognize-the-power-of-community-is-here-again-not-as/) [Judith Hanson Lasater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hanson-lasater/) > [For the ego to survive, it must make time - past and future - more important than the present moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/for-the-ego-to-survive-it-must-make-time-past-and-future-more/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [He who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-would-foresee-what-is-to-happen-should-look-to-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Give up identification with this mass of flesh as well as with what thinks it a mass. Both are intellectual imaginations. Recognise your true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adi-shankara/give-up-identification-with-this-mass-of-flesh-as-well-as-with-what/) [Adi Shankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adi-shankara/) > [In times past...it was my habit to talk glibly of the right of man to land. It was a bad habit, and I long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/in-times-past-it-was-my-habit-to-talk-glibly-of-the-right-of-man-to/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [At times in the past, the U.S. did not restrict the number of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hawkins/at-times-in-the-past-the-u-s-did-not-restrict-the-number-of-immigrants/) [Jeff Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hawkins/) > [For I assure Your Majesty that if God had not mysteriously assisted us and the victory had gone to Narváez, it would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hernando-cortes/for-i-assure-your-majesty-that-if-god-had-not-mysteriously-assisted/) [Hernando Cortes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hernando-cortes/) > [Literary men are being employed to praise a big business man personally, as men used to praise a king. They not only find political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/literary-men-are-being-employed-to-praise-a-big-business-man/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Life, to be worthy of a rational being, must be always in progression; we must always purpose to do more or better than in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/life-to-be-worthy-of-a-rational-being-must-be-always-in-progression/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I've at times in my past been so unhappy, and thought, like, 'I would give anything for this not to be happening.' And, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-choi/i-ve-at-times-in-my-past-been-so-unhappy-and-thought-like-i-would/) [Susan Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-choi/) > [“There is no creature so perfect in wisdom and knowledge but may learn something for time present, and to come, by times past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robinson/there-is-no-creature-so-perfect-in-wisdom-and-knowledge-but-may-learn/) [John Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-robinson/) ## More by Alexander Pope > [How do we know that we have a right to kill creatures that we are so little above, as dogs, for our curiosity or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/how-do-we-know-that-we-have-a-right-to-kill-creatures-that-we-are-so/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, To raise the genius, and to mend the heart; To make mankind, in conscious virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/to-wake-the-soul-by-tender-strokes-of-art-to-raise-the-genius-and-to/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [A mighty maze! But not without a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/a-mighty-maze-but-not-without-a-plan/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Let such teach others who themselves excel, And censure freely who have written well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/let-such-teach-others-who-themselves-excel-and-censure-freely-who/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [For I, who hold sage Homer's rule the best, Welcome the coming, speed the going guest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-i-who-hold-sage-homer-s-rule-the-best-welcome-the-coming-speed/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Like following life through creatures you dissect, You lose it in the moment you detect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/like-following-life-through-creatures-you-dissect-you-lose-it-in-the/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [When two people compliment each other with the choice of anything, each of them generally gets that which he likes least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/when-two-people-compliment-each-other-with-the-choice-of-anything/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style, Amaze th' unlearn'd and make the learned smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/such-labour-d-nothings-in-so-strange-a-style-amaze-th-unlearn-d-and/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/charms-strike-the-sight-but-merit-wins-the-soul/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I am satisfied to trifle away my time, rather than let it stick by me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/i-am-satisfied-to-trifle-away-my-time-rather-than-let-it-stick-by-me/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [The greatest advantage I know of being thought a wit by the world is, that it gives one the greater freedom of playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/the-greatest-advantage-i-know-of-being-thought-a-wit-by-the-world-is/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Then say not Man's imperfect,Heav'n in fault; Say rather, Man's as perfect ashe ought:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/then-say-not-man-s-imperfect-heav-n-in-fault-say-rather-man-s-as/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [First follow Nature, and your judgment frame By her just standard, which is still the same: Unerring nature, still divinely bright, One clear, unchanged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/first-follow-nature-and-your-judgment-frame-by-her-just-standard/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Who shall decide when doctors disagree, And soundest casuists doubt, like you and me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/who-shall-decide-when-doctors-disagree-and-soundest-casuists-doubt/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) [Explore all 850 Alexander Pope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [I had a very blessed journey with the upbringing I had. When you're working on sets as a stuntman, you have a firsthand account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-roman-waugh/i-had-a-very-blessed-journey-with-the-upbringing-i-had-when-you-re/) [Ric Roman Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-roman-waugh/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [You've got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they're the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-ve-got-to-exercise-your-health-account-your-bank-account-they-re/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. 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