---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The old order changes, giving place to…"
description: "\"“The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on good custom should corrupts the world.”\" — Alfred Tennyson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg"
---

#  The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on…

![“The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on good custom should corrupts the world.” quote by Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg)

> ““The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on good custom should corrupts the world.””

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The poem reflects on societal change, warning that new customs can corrupt the world.

**In simple terms:** Change can bring corruption if not guided wisely.

Key Takeaway

Guard new traditions against moral decay.

Themes

change corruption society

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

- political commentary
- social critique
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

ethics history politics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies preserve virtue amid change?
- What safeguards prevent corruption?

A Different Perspective

Not all change is negative; context matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

## Related quotes

> [The old order, it is good for the old. A farmer wants his son to be afraid of beautiful women, so that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-old-order-it-is-good-for-the-old-a-farmer-wants-his-son-to-be/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [In order for a president to be transformational, the old order has to fall as the orthodoxies that kept it in power exhaust themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/in-order-for-a-president-to-be-transformational-the-old-order-has-to/)

[John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/)

> [What is noise to the old order is harmony to the new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-attali/what-is-noise-to-the-old-order-is-harmony-to-the-new/)

[Jacques Attali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-attali/)

> [The old order changes yielding place to new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-old-order-changes-yielding-place-to-new/)

[Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/)

> [Don't accept the old order. Get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/don-t-accept-the-old-order-get-rid-of-it/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [“Law was always made by the few and in general for the purpose of preserving the "existing order," or for the reestablishment of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/law-was-always-made-by-the-few-and-in-general-for-the-purpose-of/)

[Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/)

> [“The old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfils Himself in many ways, Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-old-order-changeth-yielding-place-to-new-and-god-fulfils-himself/)

[Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/)

> [ “\[From The Old Order \] The Grandmother always treated her animal friends as if they were human beings temporarily metamorphosed . . .” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/from-the-old-order-the-grandmother-always-treated-her-animal-friends/)

[Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/)

> [“They took over from the old order not only most of its customs, conventions, and modes of thought, but even those ideas which prompted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/they-took-over-from-the-old-order-not-only-most-of-its-customs/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [Bad is the new good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asheya/bad-is-the-new-good/)

[Asheya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asheya/)

> [“Getting new good experiences is the meaning of the life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahangir-khosravi-shakib/getting-new-good-experiences-is-the-meaning-of-the-life/)

jahangir khosravi shakib

> [Just getting to know someone new is a good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-getting-to-know-someone-new-is-a-good-feeling/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Of all the ridiculous expressions people use - and people use a great many ridiculous expressions - one of the most ridiculous is 'No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/of-all-the-ridiculous-expressions-people-use-and-people-use-a-great/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [We imagine that when we are thrown out of our usual ruts all is lost, but it is only then that what is new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/we-imagine-that-when-we-are-thrown-out-of-our-usual-ruts-all-is-lost/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [If you are a producer's son you are never given that benefit of doubt of being new. I had to be good from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackky-bhagnani/if-you-are-a-producer-s-son-you-are-never-given-that-benefit-of-doubt/)

[Jackky Bhagnani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackky-bhagnani/)

## More by Alfred Tennyson

> [“Let Knowledge grow from more to more; but more of reference in us dwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/let-knowledge-grow-from-more-to-more-but-more-of-reference-in-us-dwell/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“ The Eagle He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/the-eagle-he-clasps-the-crag-with-crooked-hands-close-to-the-sun-in/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“I sometimes hold it half a sin To put in words the grief I feel; For words, like Nature, half reveal And half conceal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/i-sometimes-hold-it-half-a-sin-to-put-in-words-the-grief-i-feel-for/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“May make my heart as a milestone, set my face as a flint, cheat and be cheated, and die: who knows? we are ashes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/may-make-my-heart-as-a-milestone-set-my-face-as-a-flint-cheat-and-be/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“But in her web she still delights To weave the mirror’s magic sights, For often thro’ the silent nights A funeral, with plumes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/but-in-her-web-she-still-delights-to-weave-the-mirror-s-magic-sights/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“In her right hand the lily, in her left The letter--all her bright hair streaming down-- And all the coverlid was cloth of gold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/in-her-right-hand-the-lily-in-her-left-the-letter-all-her-bright-hair/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“Brothers in Art: a friendship so complete”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/brothers-in-art-a-friendship-so-complete/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the lees; all times I have enjoy’d Greatly, have suffer’d greatly, both with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/i-cannot-rest-from-travel-i-will-drink-life-to-the-lees-all-times-i/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward the Light Brigade!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/half-a-league-half-a-league-half-a-league-onward-all-in-the-valley-of/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“Oh yet we trust that somehow good Will be the final goal of ill, To pangs of nature, sins of will, Defects of doubt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/oh-yet-we-trust-that-somehow-good-will-be-the-final-goal-of-ill-to/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“Let us hush this cry of 'Forward', till ten thousand years have gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/let-us-hush-this-cry-of-forward-till-ten-thousand-years-have-gone/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“And while he waited in the castle court, The voice of Enid, Yniol's daughter, rang Clear through the open casement of the hall, Singing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/and-while-he-waited-in-the-castle-court-the-voice-of-enid-yniol-s/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“And Gareth bowed himself with all obedience to the King, and wrought All kind of service with a noble ease That graced the lowliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/and-gareth-bowed-himself-with-all-obedience-to-the-king-and-wrought/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“It little profits that an idle king, By this still hearth, among these barren crags, Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/it-little-profits-that-an-idle-king-by-this-still-hearth-among-these/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

> [“Frown not, old ghosts, if I be one of those Who make you utter things you did not say, And mould you all awry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/frown-not-old-ghosts-if-i-be-one-of-those-who-make-you-utter-things/)

[Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

[Explore all 55 Alfred Tennyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/)

## More Change quotes

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/)

Phil Hogan

> [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/)

[Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/)

> [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/)

[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

> [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/)

[Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/)

> [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

[Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on good custom should corrupts the world.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alfred Tennyson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-the-new-least-on-good-custom/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Change"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-the-new-least-on-good-custom/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/alfred-tennyson-12166_change_the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-th_522844.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The old order changes, giving place to the new... least on good custom should corrupts the world.” — Alfred Tennyson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alfred Tennyson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The old order changes, giving place...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-the-new-least-on-good-custom/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/the-old-order-changes-giving-place-to-the-new-least-on-good-custom/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
