--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love, that is first and last of all…" description: "\"“Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal veil has on The souls of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg" --- # Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light… ![“Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal veil has on The souls of all men woven in unison, One fiery raiment with all lives inwrought And lights of sunny and starry deed and thought, And alway through new act and…” quote by Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg) > ““Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal veil has on The souls of all men woven in unison, One fiery raiment with all lives inwrought And lights of sunny and starry deed and thought, And alway through new act and passion new Shines the divine same body and beauty through, The body spiritual of fire and light That is to worldly noon as noon to night; Love, that is flesh upon the spirit of man And spirit within the flesh whence breath began; Love, that keeps all the choir of lives in chime; Love, that is blood within the veins of time; That wrought the whole world without stroke of hand, Shaping the breadth of sea, the length of land, And with the pulse and motion of his breath Through the great heart of the earth strikes life and death, The sweet twain chords that make the sweet tune live Through day and night of things alternative, Through silence and through sound of stress and strife, And ebb and flow of dying death and life: Love, that sounds loud or light in all men's ears, Whence all men's eyes take fire from sparks of tears, That binds on all men's feet or chains or wings; Love that is root and fruit of terrene things; Love, that the whole world's waters shall not drown, The whole world's fiery forces not burn down; Love, that what time his own hands guard his head The whole world's wrath and strength shall not strike dead; Love, that if once his own hands make his grave The whole world's pity and sorrow shall not save; Love, that for very life shall not be sold, Nor bought nor bound with iron nor with gold; So strong that heaven, could love bid heaven farewell, Would turn to fruitless and unflowering hell; So sweet that hell, to hell could love be given, Would turn to splendid and sonorous heaven; Love that is fire within thee and light above, And lives by grace of nothing but of love; Through many and lovely thoughts and much desire Led these twain to the life of tears and fire; Through many and lovely days and much delight Led these twain to the lifeless life of night.”” [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love is depicted as a universal, elemental force that unites and sustains all existence, transcending physical and temporal bounds. **In simple terms:** Love is a powerful, all‑encompassing energy. Key Takeaway Recognize love’s unifying power. Themes unity spirituality eternity Mood reverent hopeful profound Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - marriage - parenthood - spiritual practice - artistic creation Key Concepts metaphysics poetic symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What everyday actions reflect love’s universal force? - How can love guide decisions in conflict? A Different Perspective Such grand language can obscure practical applications of love. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day and night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) [Death and life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-and-life/) [Ebb and flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ebb-and-flow/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-death/) [Life Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-love/) [Life Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-shall/) [Light Worldly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-worldly-2821815/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Lovely day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovely-day/) [Night love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-love/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thee Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee-light-1009342/) [Things Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-love/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“O Light Invisible, we praise Thee! Too bright for mortal vision. O Greater Light, we praise Thee for the less; The eastern light our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/o-light-invisible-we-praise-thee-too-bright-for-mortal-vision-o/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [“As the dawn loves the sunlight that must cease Ere dawn again may rise and pass in peace; Must die that she being dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/as-the-dawn-loves-the-sunlight-that-must-cease-ere-dawn-again-may/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [I wanted to lie hour after hour on a couch, pouring out the dark, secret places of my heart--do this feeling that over my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-exley/i-wanted-to-lie-hour-after-hour-on-a-couch-pouring-out-the-dark/) [Frederick Exley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-exley/) > [“It is a lovely day, isn’t it?” she said, because she couldn’t think of anything else to say to his daunting shoulder. “Yes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-joseph/it-is-a-lovely-day-isn-t-it-she-said-because-she-couldn-t-think-of/) [Annabel Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-joseph/) > [Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, it is just an awesome bright lovely day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-are-like-clouds-when-they-disappear-it-is-just-an-awesome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the Continent there is one topic which should be avoided-the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase "Lovely day, isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/on-the-continent-there-is-one-topic-which-should-be-avoided-the/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [May this lovely day, bring in loads of joy and sweetness in your life. May your beautiful face shower smiles and shine the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-this-lovely-day-bring-in-loads-of-joy-and-sweetness-in-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Joe and Jojo and I had lovely day together. I love Joe so much - more and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-powell/joe-and-jojo-and-i-had-lovely-day-together-i-love-joe-so-much-more/) [Dawn Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-powell/) > [Nothing can be more comforting than a mother's hug. I need loads of these! I miss you Mom. I may be far away but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-can-be-more-comforting-than-a-mother-s-hug-i-need-loads-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And if she were an honest woman, which she was known to be on occasion, she could readily admit that hearing about his escapades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/and-if-she-were-an-honest-woman-which-she-was-known-to-be-on-occasion/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Yelena. What a lovely day!... Not to hot either. Voynitski. It would even be pleasant to hang oneself on a day like this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-pavlovich-chekhov/yelena-what-a-lovely-day-not-to-hot-either-voynitski-it-would-even-be/) [Anton Pavlovich Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-pavlovich-chekhov/) > [It's a lovely day for me to finally not leave the bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/it-s-a-lovely-day-for-me-to-finally-not-leave-the-bed/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Having faith doesn't mean God will do what you want, but what is right at the perfect time. When you ask, He listens. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-adarkwah/having-faith-doesn-t-mean-god-will-do-what-you-want-but-what-is-right/) [Michael Adarkwah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-adarkwah/) > [Lovely days in my life : Childhood Days, School Days & collage Days, Horrible days in my life : ONLY EXAM DAYS :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lovely-days-in-my-life-childhood-days-school-days-collage-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 1960s, you could eat anything you wanted, and of course, people were smoking cigarettes and all kinds of things, and there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/in-the-1960s-you-could-eat-anything-you-wanted-and-of-course-people/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) ## More by Algernon Charles Swinburne > [I shall sleep, and move with the moving ships, Change as the winds change, veer in the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/i-shall-sleep-and-move-with-the-moving-ships-change-as-the-winds/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Marvellous mercies and infinite love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/marvellous-mercies-and-infinite-love/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [She knows not loves that kissed her She knows not where. Art thou the ghost, my sister, White sister there, Am I the ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/she-knows-not-loves-that-kissed-her-she-knows-not-where-art-thou-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [A little soul scarce fledged for earth Takes wing with heaven again for goal, Even while we hailed as fresh from birth A little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/a-little-soul-scarce-fledged-for-earth-takes-wing-with-heaven-again/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [While three men hold together, the kingdoms are less by three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/while-three-men-hold-together-the-kingdoms-are-less-by-three/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Body and spirit are twins: God only knows which is which.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/body-and-spirit-are-twins-god-only-knows-which-is-which/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Fruits fail and love dies and time ranges;Thou art fed with perpetual breath, and alive after infinite changes,And fresh from the kisses of death,Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/fruits-fail-and-love-dies-and-time-ranges-thou-art-fed-with-perpetual/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“As the dawn loves the sunlight that must cease Ere dawn again may rise and pass in peace; Must die that she being dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/as-the-dawn-loves-the-sunlight-that-must-cease-ere-dawn-again-may/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [There is no safety-net to protect against attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/there-is-no-safety-net-to-protect-against-attraction/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Sorrow, on wing through the world for ever, Here and there for awhile would borrow Rest, if rest might haply deliver Sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/sorrow-on-wing-through-the-world-for-ever-here-and-there-for-awhile/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [His life is a watch or a vision Between a sleep and a sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/his-life-is-a-watch-or-a-vision-between-a-sleep-and-a-sleep/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“The half-brained creature to whom books are other than living things may see with the eyes of a bat and draw with the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/the-half-brained-creature-to-whom-books-are-other-than-living-things/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [The highest spiritual quality, the noblest property of mind a man can have, is this of loyalty ... a man with no loyalty in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/the-highest-spiritual-quality-the-noblest-property-of-mind-a-man-can/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [To wipe off the froth of falsehood from the foaming lips of inebriated virtue, when fresh from the sexless orgies of morality and reeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/to-wipe-off-the-froth-of-falsehood-from-the-foaming-lips-of/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Time turns the old days to derision, Our loves into corpses or wives; And marriage and death and division Make barren our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/time-turns-the-old-days-to-derision-our-loves-into-corpses-or-wives/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) [Explore all 145 Algernon Charles Swinburne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) ## More Day and night quotes > [“helping me. It’s a full-time job, and I am grateful for your concern for my reader friends. Of course, thanks to my daughter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/helping-me-it-s-a-full-time-job-and-i-am-grateful-for-your-concern/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“The host is rushing 'twixt day and night, And where is there hope or deed as fair? Caoilte tossing his burning hair, And Niamh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-b-yeats/the-host-is-rushing-twixt-day-and-night-and-where-is-there-hope-or/) [W.B. Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-b-yeats/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Because when I have been busy at the United Nations during crises, it has meant working day and night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-frederick/because-when-i-have-been-busy-at-the-united-nations-during-crises-it/) [Pauline Frederick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-frederick/) > [I just want to stay by you day and night. The best feeling I get is when I see your face early morning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-want-to-stay-by-you-day-and-night-the-best-feeling-i-get-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was young, I spent my days and nights trying to impress future generations. I spent them. They're gone. All because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-syjuco/when-i-was-young-i-spent-my-days-and-nights-trying-to-impress-future/) [Miguel Syjuco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-syjuco/) > [A man received message from his neighbor... Sorry sir.., I am using your wife. I am using day and night. I am using when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh/a-man-received-message-from-his-neighbor-sorry-sir-i-am-using-your/) [Ritesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh/) > [“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings-2/to-be-nobody-but-yourself-in-a-world-which-is-doing-its-best-day-and/) [E.E. Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings-2/) > [“He smiled at me, as innocent as an angel. "I will sit her all day and night. I'll camp out on your porch. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/he-smiled-at-me-as-innocent-as-an-angel-i-will-sit-her-all-day-and/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“I always found in myself a dread of west and love of east. Where I ever got such an idea I cannot say, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-always-found-in-myself-a-dread-of-west-and-love-of-east-where-i/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [ Sweet discourse makes short daies and nights. \[Sweet discourse makes short days and nights.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sweet-discourse-makes-short-daies-and-nights-sweet-discourse-makes/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Day and night, meditate forever on the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-gobind-singh/day-and-night-meditate-forever-on-the-lord/) [Guru Gobind Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-gobind-singh/) [Browse all 756 Day and night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal veil has on The souls of all men woven in unison, One fiery raiment with all lives inwrought And lights of sunny and starry deed and thought, And alway through new act and passion new Shines the divine same body and beauty through, The body spiritual of fire and light That is to worldly noon as noon to night; Love, that is flesh upon the spirit of man And spirit within the flesh whence breath began; Love, that keeps all the choir of lives in chime; Love, that is blood within the veins of time; That wrought the whole world without stroke of hand, Shaping the breadth of sea, the length of land, And with the pulse and motion of his breath Through the great heart of the earth strikes life and death, The sweet twain chords that make the sweet tune live Through day and night of things alternative, Through silence and through sound of stress and strife, And ebb and flow of dying death and life: Love, that sounds loud or light in all men's ears, Whence all men's eyes take fire from sparks of tears, That binds on all men's feet or chains or wings; Love that is root and fruit of terrene things; Love, that the whole world's waters shall not drown, The whole world's fiery forces not burn down; Love, that what time his own hands guard his head The whole world's wrath and strength shall not strike dead; Love, that if once his own hands make his grave The whole world's pity and sorrow shall not save; Love, that for very life shall not be sold, Nor bought nor bound with iron nor with gold; So strong that heaven, could love bid heaven farewell, Would turn to fruitless and unflowering hell; So sweet that hell, to hell could love be given, Would turn to splendid and sonorous heaven; Love that is fire within thee and light above, And lives by grace of nothing but of love; Through many and lovely thoughts and much desire Led these twain to the life of tears and fire; Through many and lovely days and much delight Led these twain to the lifeless life of night.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Algernon Charles Swinburne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-things-made-the-light-that-has-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Day and night" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-things-made-the-light-that-has-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_day-and-night_love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-thing_293918.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit…” — Algernon Charles Swinburne", "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": "Algernon Charles Swinburne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Love, that is first and last...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-things-made-the-light-that-has-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-things-made-the-light-that-has-the/#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 } } ] } ```