--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not until an age has receded into…" description: "\"“It is not until an age has receded into history, and all its mediocrity has dropped away from it, that we can see it as it is — as a group of men of g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/arnold-bennett-3325_genius_it-is-not-until-an-age-has-receded-into_2425429.png" --- # It is not until an age has receded into history, and all… ![“It is not until an age has receded into history, and all its mediocrity has dropped away from it, that we can see it as it is — as a group of men of genius. We forget the immense amount of twaddle that the great epochs produced.” quote by Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/arnold-bennett-3325_genius_it-is-not-until-an-age-has-receded-into_2425429.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/arnold-bennett-3325_genius_it-is-not-until-an-age-has-receded-into_2425429.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/arnold-bennett-3325_genius_it-is-not-until-an-age-has-receded-into_2425429.png) > ““It is not until an age has receded into history, and all its mediocrity has dropped away from it, that we can see it as it is — as a group of men of genius. We forget the immense amount of twaddle that the great epochs produced.”” [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical periods are often judged harshly after they pass, revealing that true brilliance is obscured by the mediocrity of its time. **In simple terms:** We only recognize genius after an era ends. Key Takeaway Value ideas beyond their era's popularity. Themes history genius mediocrity Mood reflective nostalgic Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - art criticism - personal reflection Key Concepts cultural critique temporal perspective Questions to Reflect On - What modern ideas might be undervalued now? - How does hindsight change our view of past achievements? A Different Perspective Great works can be dismissed as trivial in their own time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age Receded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-receded-6150714/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-forget-6150715/) [Great Epochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-epochs-2134365/) [Hindsight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hindsight/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-mediocrity-6150716/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Men Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-genius/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The great epochs of life come when we gain the courage to re-christen our evil as what is best in us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-epochs-of-life-come-when-we-gain-the-courage-to-re-christen/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Great men, great events, great epochs, it has been said, grow as we recede from them; and the rate at which they grow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-campbell-shairp/great-men-great-events-great-epochs-it-has-been-said-grow-as-we/) [John Campbell Shairp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-campbell-shairp/) > [“The great epochs of our life are at the points when we gain courage to rebaptize our badness as the best in us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-epochs-of-our-life-are-at-the-points-when-we-gain-courage/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Various epochs of the past have had their own characteristic struggles and interests. Each of these great epochs has left behind itself a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/various-epochs-of-the-past-have-had-their-own-characteristic/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The great epochs of our life come when we gain the courage to rechristen our evil as what is best in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-epochs-of-our-life-come-when-we-gain-the-courage-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There is no doubt but men of genius and leisure may carry our method to greater perfection, but, having had long experience, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/there-is-no-doubt-but-men-of-genius-and-leisure-may-carry-our-method/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Men of genius sometimes accomplish most when they work the least, for they are thinking out inventions and forming in their minds the perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-vasari/men-of-genius-sometimes-accomplish-most-when-they-work-the-least-for/) [Giorgio Vasari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-vasari/) > [Men of genius are not quick judges of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/men-of-genius-are-not-quick-judges-of-character/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [The meetings of the legislature at Springfield then first brought together that splendid group of young men of genius whose phenomenal careers and distinguished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-george-nicolay/the-meetings-of-the-legislature-at-springfield-then-first-brought/) [John George Nicolay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-george-nicolay/) > [Men of humor are always in some degree men of genius; wits are rarely so, although a man of genius may, amongst other gifts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/men-of-humor-are-always-in-some-degree-men-of-genius-wits-are-rarely/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Men of genius are not quick judges of character. Deep thinking and high imagining blunt that trivial instinct by which you and I size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/men-of-genius-are-not-quick-judges-of-character-deep-thinking-and/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [Weaknesses in men of genius are usually an exaggeration of their personal feeling; in the hands of feeble imitators they become the most flagrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/weaknesses-in-men-of-genius-are-usually-an-exaggeration-of-their/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [There is only one proved method of assisting the advancement of pure science-that of picking men of genius, backing them heavily, and leaving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryant-conant/there-is-only-one-proved-method-of-assisting-the-advancement-of-pure/) [James Bryant Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryant-conant/) > [“Men of genius are made not by new ideas, but by an idea which possesses them, namely, that what has been said has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/men-of-genius-are-made-not-by-new-ideas-but-by-an-idea-which/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More by Arnold Bennett > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Good taste is better than bad taste, but bad taste is better than no taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/good-taste-is-better-than-bad-taste-but-bad-taste-is-better-than-no/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [To write is to make oneself the echo of what cannot cease speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/to-write-is-to-make-oneself-the-echo-of-what-cannot-cease-speaking/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The parents exist to teach the child, but also they must learn what the child has to teach them; and the child has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-parents-exist-to-teach-the-child-but-also-they-must-learn-what/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labour is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-gain-in-self-confidence-of-having-accomplished-a-tiresome-labour/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [A man of sixty has spent twenty years in bed and over three years in eating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/a-man-of-sixty-has-spent-twenty-years-in-bed-and-over-three-years-in/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“What then? Are we only to buy the books that we read? The question has merely to be thus bluntly put, and it answers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/what-then-are-we-only-to-buy-the-books-that-we-read-the-question-has/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The most important preliminary to the task of arranging one's life so that one may live fully and comfortably within one's daily budget of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-most-important-preliminary-to-the-task-of-arranging-one-s-life-so/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [You are not in charge of the universe; you are in charge of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/you-are-not-in-charge-of-the-universe-you-are-in-charge-of-yourself/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“When one has thoroughly got imbued into one's head the leading truth that nothing happens without a cause, one grows not only large-minded, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/when-one-has-thoroughly-got-imbued-into-one-s-head-the-leading-truth/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/any-change-even-a-change-for-the-better-is-always-accompanied-by/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“The public is a great actuality, like war. If you are a creative and creating artist, you cannot ignore it, though it can ignore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-public-is-a-great-actuality-like-war-if-you-are-a-creative-and/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“Good clothes, when put to the test, survive a change in fortune, as a Roman arch survives the luxury of departed empire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/good-clothes-when-put-to-the-test-survive-a-change-in-fortune-as-a/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by tone of voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/ninety-percent-of-the-friction-of-daily-life-is-caused-by-tone-of/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [During a long and varied career as a bachelor, I have noticed that marriage is the death of politeness between a man and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/during-a-long-and-varied-career-as-a-bachelor-i-have-noticed-that/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) [Explore all 133 Arnold Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is not until an age has receded into history, and all its mediocrity has dropped away from it, that we can see it as it is — as a group of men of genius. 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