--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a slow-growing beauty which only…" description: "\"There is a slow-growing beauty which only comes to perfection in old age… I have seen sweeter smiles on a lip of seventy than I ever saw on a lip of se..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/alexander-smith-4402_age_there-is-a-slow-growing-beauty-which-onl_2170011.jpg" --- # There is a slow-growing beauty which only comes to… ![“There is a slow-growing beauty which only comes to perfection in old age… I have seen sweeter smiles on a lip of seventy than I ever saw on a lip of seventeen. There is the beauty of youth, and there is also the beauty of holiness—a beauty much more seldom met; and more frequently found in the…” quote by Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/alexander-smith-4402_age_there-is-a-slow-growing-beauty-which-onl_2170011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/alexander-smith-4402_age_there-is-a-slow-growing-beauty-which-onl_2170011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/alexander-smith-4402_age_there-is-a-slow-growing-beauty-which-onl_2170011.jpg) > “There is a slow-growing beauty which only comes to perfection in old age… I have seen sweeter smiles on a lip of seventy than I ever saw on a lip of seventeen. There is the beauty of youth, and there is also the beauty of holiness—a beauty much more seldom met; and more frequently found in the arm-chair by the fire, with grandchildren around its knee, than in the ball-room or the promenade.” [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates the deep, serene beauty that emerges with age, contrasting it with youthful allure and highlighting the spiritual and familial warmth of older life. **In simple terms:** Older age brings a unique, profound beauty. Key Takeaway Value the wisdom and calm of later years. Themes age wisdom spirituality family beauty Mood reflective warm nostalgic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grandparenting - retirement - community gatherings - reflective writing Key Concepts elderhood intergenerational love inner peace Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor the beauty of aging in our culture? - What practices nurture inner peace in later life? A Different Perspective Youthful beauty is fleeting, while older beauty is deeper and more enduring. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-holiness-1942288/) [Beauty Of Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-of-youth-213268/) [Beauty Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-seldom-2762905/) [Chairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chairs/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-beauty-4642304/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Holiness Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness-beauty-4642303/) [Knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knees/) [Lips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lips/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Promenade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promenade/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Seventeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seventeen/) [Seventies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seventies/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [In the forming of female friendships beauty seldom recommends one woman to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/in-the-forming-of-female-friendships-beauty-seldom-recommends-one/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Lives devoted to Beauty seldom end well. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/lives-devoted-to-beauty-seldom-end-well/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > ['In Ear Park' perfectly encapsulates the beauty of youth for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domino-kirke/in-ear-park-perfectly-encapsulates-the-beauty-of-youth-for-me/) [Domino Kirke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domino-kirke/) > [The old men gazed on them in their loveliness, and turned away with that deep and painful sigh, which the gladness of childhood, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-m-child/the-old-men-gazed-on-them-in-their-loveliness-and-turned-away-with/) [Lydia M. Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-m-child/) > [Happily there exists more than one kind of beauty. There is the beauty of infancy, the beauty of youth, the beauty of maturity, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/happily-there-exists-more-than-one-kind-of-beauty-there-is-the-beauty/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [“I think God has planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength and beauty of old age is spiritual.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robertson-mcquilkin/i-think-god-has-planned-the-strength-and-beauty-of-youth-to-be/) [J. Robertson McQuilkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robertson-mcquilkin/) > [In France, they call the beauty of youth 'the evil beauty.' You don't have it because of you but because you're born with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-bellucci/in-france-they-call-the-beauty-of-youth-the-evil-beauty-you-don-t/) [Monica Bellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-bellucci/) > [He that sees the beauty of holiness or true moral good ,sees the greatest and most important thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/he-that-sees-the-beauty-of-holiness-or-true-moral-good-sees-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [When I read of the vain discussions of the present day about the Virgin Birth and other old dogmas which belong to the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olympia-brown/when-i-read-of-the-vain-discussions-of-the-present-day-about-the/) [Olympia Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olympia-brown/) > [The Christian must be consumed by the conviction of the infinite beauty of holiness and the infinite damnability of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-christian-must-be-consumed-by-the-conviction-of-the-infinite/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The beauty of holiness is that which the grave, that consumes all other beauty, cannot touch, or do any damage to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/the-beauty-of-holiness-is-that-which-the-grave-that-consumes-all/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“Beloved, I would have you to count this to be your beauty, even holiness; for if ye have not this beauty, then all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/beloved-i-would-have-you-to-count-this-to-be-your-beauty-even/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [“Worshiping in the beauty of holiness is an invitation to be participants in the holiness of God, not perfecters of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-braun/worshiping-in-the-beauty-of-holiness-is-an-invitation-to-be/) [Tyler Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-braun/) > [“Mountains, hills and valleys confirm the beauty of Your holiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/mountains-hills-and-valleys-confirm-the-beauty-of-your-holiness/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [“MEET ME IN MORNING STILLNESS, while the earth is fresh with the dew of My Presence. Worship Me in the beauty of holiness. Sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/meet-me-in-morning-stillness-while-the-earth-is-fresh-with-the-dew-of/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) ## More by Alexander Smith > [Pleasure has no logic; it never treads in its own footsteps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/pleasure-has-no-logic-it-never-treads-in-its-own-footsteps/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [The great man is the man who does a thing for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-great-man-is-the-man-who-does-a-thing-for-the-first-time/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Eternity doth wear upon her face the veil of time. They only see the veil, and thus they know not what they stand so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/eternity-doth-wear-upon-her-face-the-veil-of-time-they-only-see-the/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [There is a certain even-handed justice in Time; and for what he takes away he gives us something in return. He robs us of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/there-is-a-certain-even-handed-justice-in-time-and-for-what-he-takes/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Thoughts must come naturally, like wild-flowers; they cannot be forced in a hot-bed, even although aided by the leaf-mould of your past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/thoughts-must-come-naturally-like-wild-flowers-they-cannot-be-forced/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October, when the trees are bare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/in-the-entire-circle-of-the-year-there-are-no-days-so-delightful-as/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [The globe has been circumnavigated, but no man ever yet has; you may survey a kingdom and note the result in maps, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-globe-has-been-circumnavigated-but-no-man-ever-yet-has-you-may/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [In winter, when the dismal rain Comes down in slanting lines, And Wind, that grand old harper, smote His thunder-harp of pines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/in-winter-when-the-dismal-rain-comes-down-in-slanting-lines-and-wind/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [And in any case, to the old man, when the world becomes trite, the triteness arises not so much from a cessation as from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/and-in-any-case-to-the-old-man-when-the-world-becomes-trite-the/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Most brilliant star upon the crest of Time Is England. England!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/most-brilliant-star-upon-the-crest-of-time-is-england-england/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [In my garden, care stops at the gate and gazes at me wistfully through the bars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/in-my-garden-care-stops-at-the-gate-and-gazes-at-me-wistfully-through/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [The spot of ground on which a man has stood is forever interesting to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-spot-of-ground-on-which-a-man-has-stood-is-forever-interesting-to/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [To sit for one's portrait is like being present at one's own creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/to-sit-for-one-s-portrait-is-like-being-present-at-one-s-own-creation/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [There is nothing good in this world which time does not improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/there-is-nothing-good-in-this-world-which-time-does-not-improve/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/love-is-but-the-discovery-of-ourselves-in-others-and-the-delight-in/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) [Explore all 111 Alexander Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a slow-growing beauty which only comes to perfection in old age… I have seen sweeter smiles on a lip of seventy than I ever saw on a lip of seventeen. 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