--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Old things need not be therefore true, O…" description: "\"Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, And yet consider it again!\" — Arthur Hu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg" --- # Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor… ![“Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, And yet consider it again!” quote by Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg) > “Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, And yet consider it again!” [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) ## 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 cautions against assuming that established ideas are always correct nor that novel concepts are automatically superior, urging continual re‑examination of both. **In simple terms:** Question both tradition and novelty. Key Takeaway Re‑evaluate ideas constantly. Themes critical thinking epistemology skepticism open‑mindedness intellectual humility Mood thoughtful inquisitive cautious Type philosophical reflective advice When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal belief systems - technological adoption - cultural debates Key Concepts truth change tradition innovation Practical Applications - philosophical essays - strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What criteria determine when an old idea should be discarded? - How can we balance respect for tradition with openness to new ideas? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awhile Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awhile-old-841242/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brother Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-men-841241/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [O Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/o-brother/) [Old things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-things/) [Old Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-thought-841240/) [Retain Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retain-consider-841243/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) ## Related quotes > ['O Brother, Where Art Thou?' was this role that utterly fell into my lap and changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-blake-nelson/o-brother-where-art-thou-was-this-role-that-utterly-fell-into-my-lap/) [Tim Blake Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-blake-nelson/) > [The reconciliation is not based on the fact that one of the characters opens his eyes and says, "O brother! O sister! How terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-reconciliation-is-not-based-on-the-fact-that-one-of-the/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [“Live no longer to the expectation of these deceived and deceiving people with whom we converse. Say to them, O father, O mother, O…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/live-no-longer-to-the-expectation-of-these-deceived-and-deceiving/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The soundtrack of O Brother is the most publicity I've gotten. I don't feel that I have lost any of my old fans, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-stanley/the-soundtrack-of-o-brother-is-the-most-publicity-i-ve-gotten-i-don-t/) [Ralph Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-stanley/) > [“But, without preaching, the truth may surely be borne in mind, that the bustle, and triumph, and laughter, and gaiety which Vanity Fair exhibits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/but-without-preaching-the-truth-may-surely-be-borne-in-mind-that-the/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“ MARSYAS: There are seven keys to the great gate, Being eight in one and one in eight. First, let the body of thee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/marsyas-there-are-seven-keys-to-the-great-gate-being-eight-in-one-and/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [O brother man! fold to thy heart thy brother; Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there; To worship rightly is to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/o-brother-man-fold-to-thy-heart-thy-brother-where-pity-dwells-the/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [“O brother, the gods were good to you. Sleep, and be glad while the world endures. Be well content as the years wear through;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/o-brother-the-gods-were-good-to-you-sleep-and-be-glad-while-the-world/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“And now he is singing a bard's curse upon you, O brother abbot, and upon your father and your mother, and your grandfather and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/and-now-he-is-singing-a-bard-s-curse-upon-you-o-brother-abbot-and/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Let us even bid our dearest friends farewell, and defy them, saying, "Who are you? Unhand me: I will be dependent no more." Ah!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/let-us-even-bid-our-dearest-friends-farewell-and-defy-them-saying-who/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The very old, he thought, make our past. Once they go it seems for a moment that neither it nor we have any real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/the-very-old-he-thought-make-our-past-once-they-go-it-seems-for-a/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [I thought it odd that the woman was over a thousand years old but thought the microwave was primitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-thought-it-odd-that-the-woman-was-over-a-thousand-years-old-but/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Actually, when John died, for the first time I thought - for the first time I realized how old I was, because I'd always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/actually-when-john-died-for-the-first-time-i-thought-for-the-first/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“In college, twenty-nine had seemed impossibly old. By now, she'd thought, she'd be married and have kids. But as each year went by, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-close/in-college-twenty-nine-had-seemed-impossibly-old-by-now-she-d-thought/) [Jennifer Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-close/) > [“I’m not going to stand for it any longer," said Mr. Flood. "I’m going to put my foot down. All I want in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/i-m-not-going-to-stand-for-it-any-longer-said-mr-flood-i-m-going-to/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) ## More by Arthur Hugh Clough > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [I watched them from the window, thy children at their play, And I thought of all my own dear friends, who were far, oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/i-watched-them-from-the-window-thy-children-at-their-play-and-i/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Do not adultery commit; Advantage rarely comes of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/do-not-adultery-commit-advantage-rarely-comes-of-it/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [I sit at my table en grand seigneur , And when I have done, throw a crust to the poor; Not only the pleasure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/i-sit-at-my-table-en-grand-seigneur-and-when-i-have-done-throw-a/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Thou shalt not covet; but tradition approves all forms of competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/thou-shalt-not-covet-but-tradition-approves-all-forms-of-competition/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Whither depart the souls of the brave that die in the battle, Die in the lost, lost fight, for the cause that perishes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/whither-depart-the-souls-of-the-brave-that-die-in-the-battle-die-in/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [How pleasant it is to have money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/how-pleasant-it-is-to-have-money/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Say not the struggle nought availeth, The labour and the wounds are vain, The enemy faints not, nor faileth, And as things have been,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/say-not-the-struggle-nought-availeth-the-labour-and-the-wounds-are/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat, When its so lucrative to cheat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/thou-shalt-not-steal-an-empty-feat-when-its-so-lucrative-to-cheat/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Come back again, old heart! Ah me! Methinks in those thy coward fears There might, perchance, a courage be, That fails in these the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/come-back-again-old-heart-ah-me-methinks-in-those-thy-coward-fears/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [And almost everyone when age, disease, or sorrows strike him, inclines to think there is a God, or something very like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/and-almost-everyone-when-age-disease-or-sorrows-strike-him-inclines/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [For while the tired waves, vainly breaking, Seem here no painful inch to gain, Far back, through creeks and inlets making, Comes silent, flooding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/for-while-the-tired-waves-vainly-breaking-seem-here-no-painful-inch/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Thou shalt have one God only: who Would be at the expense of two?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/thou-shalt-have-one-god-only-who-would-be-at-the-expense-of-two/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Action will furnish belief,-but will that belief be the true one? This is the point, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/action-will-furnish-belief-but-will-that-belief-be-the-true-one-this/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [The highest political buzz word is not liberty, equality, fraternity or solidarity; it is service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/the-highest-political-buzz-word-is-not-liberty-equality-fraternity-or/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) [Explore all 56 Arthur Hugh Clough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) [Spencer Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-moody/) > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, And yet consider it again!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Hugh Clough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o-brother-men-nor-yet-the-new/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brother" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o-brother-men-nor-yet-the-new/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/arthur-hugh-clough-12026_brother_old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o_62191.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought…” — Arthur Hugh Clough", "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": "Arthur Hugh Clough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Old things need not be therefore...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o-brother-men-nor-yet-the-new/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o-brother-men-nor-yet-the-new/#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 } } ] } ```