--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How would you define the impression of a…" description: "\"“How would you define the impression of a dark night, of an ancient forest, of the wind moaning through ruins or over graves, of the ocean stretching b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/benjamin-constant-28179_dark-night_how-would-you-define-the-impression-of-a_2249920.jpg" --- # How would you define the impression of a dark night, of an… ![“How would you define the impression of a dark night, of an ancient forest, of the wind moaning through ruins or over graves, of the ocean stretching beyond our sight? How would you define the emotion caused by the songs of Ossian, the church of St Peter, meditation upon death, the harmony of sound…” quote by Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/benjamin-constant-28179_dark-night_how-would-you-define-the-impression-of-a_2249920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/benjamin-constant-28179_dark-night_how-would-you-define-the-impression-of-a_2249920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/benjamin-constant-28179_dark-night_how-would-you-define-the-impression-of-a_2249920.jpg) > ““How would you define the impression of a dark night, of an ancient forest, of the wind moaning through ruins or over graves, of the ocean stretching beyond our sight? How would you define the emotion caused by the songs of Ossian, the church of St Peter, meditation upon death, the harmony of sound or forms? How would you define reverie, that intimate quivering of the soul, in which all the powers of the senses and thought come together and lose themselves in a mysterious confusion? There is religion at the bottom of all things. All that is beautiful, all that is intimate, all that is noble, partakes of the nature of religion.”” [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) ## 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 suggests that profound aesthetic and emotional experiences are rooted in a deep, almost spiritual sense of reverie, linking beauty, intimacy, and nobility to an underlying religious feeling. **In simple terms:** Deep feelings of awe and reverie are tied to a sense of religion. Key Takeaway Recognize the spiritual core in artistic and natural experiences. Themes aesthetics spirituality philosophy emotion religion Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - art appreciation - nature walks - meditation - creative writing - rituals Key Concepts Transcendence the sublime the uncanny Questions to Reflect On - What moments make you feel a sense of reverie? - How do you differentiate spiritual awe from secular wonder? A Different Perspective It may overlook secular interpretations of beauty and emotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Define Reverie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-reverie-5135264/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Reverie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverie/) [Reverie Intimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverie-intimate-5135266/) [Senses Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senses-thought-5135265/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [St peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/st-peter/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [You load 16 tons, and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't you call me 'cause I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-travis/you-load-16-tons-and-what-do-you-get-another-day-older-and-deeper-in/) [Merle Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-travis/) > [“James Brown went to the pearly gates and met St. Peter who took him to a room where Jerry Garcia was playing and Jimi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/james-brown-went-to-the-pearly-gates-and-met-st-peter-who-took-him-to/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [ \[Pope\] Francis communicates the pastoral embrace of the Church, the breadth and inclusiveness of Catholicism symbolized by the Bernini colonnade around St. Peter's Square,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weigel/pope-francis-communicates-the-pastoral-embrace-of-the-church-the/) [George Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weigel/) > [Medieval theologians used to dispute how the angels in the heaven spent their time, when not balancing on needle points and singing anthems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/medieval-theologians-used-to-dispute-how-the-angels-in-the-heaven/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Now, I have to tell you, this reminds me of a story. Actually, it’s an old baseball story. You see, one day, old Lucifer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-i-have-to-tell-you-this-reminds-me-of-a-story-actually-it-s-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our Faith will never be true unless it is united to that of St. Peter and the Pontiff, his successors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/our-faith-will-never-be-true-unless-it-is-united-to-that-of-st-peter/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [Your name is removed from the registry. St. Peter greets with empty eyes then turns and locks the gate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamb-of-god/your-name-is-removed-from-the-registry-st-peter-greets-with-empty/) [Lamb Of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamb-of-god/) > [“Buonarroti was later given the job of designing the huge dome of the new Basilica of St. Peter. It is well known how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-blech/buonarroti-was-later-given-the-job-of-designing-the-huge-dome-of-the/) [Benjamin Blech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-blech/) > [St. Peter scold me saying son, where have you been? And he saw me with you and asked why are you with that person?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/st-peter-scold-me-saying-son-where-have-you-been-and-he-saw-me-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It was then that Boniface issued the most scandalous papal bull of the Middle Ages – the Unam Sanctam of 1302: “We state, declare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/it-was-then-that-boniface-issued-the-most-scandalous-papal-bull-of/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“Let the grass die. I let almost all of my indoor plants die from neglect while I was writing the book. There are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/let-the-grass-die-i-let-almost-all-of-my-indoor-plants-die-from/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Christians are to be taught that the pope would and should wish to give of his own money, even though he had to sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/christians-are-to-be-taught-that-the-pope-would-and-should-wish-to/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Archbishop Milingo is a good Bishop and his contention that there are satanists in Rome is completely correct. Anybody who is acquainted with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-martin/archbishop-milingo-is-a-good-bishop-and-his-contention-that-there-are/) [Malachi Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-martin/) > [The church of St. Peter at Berlin, notwithstanding the total difference between them in the style of building, appears in some respects to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-philipp-moritz/the-church-of-st-peter-at-berlin-notwithstanding-the-total-difference/) [Karl Philipp Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-philipp-moritz/) > [“Of erections how few are domed like St. Peter's! of creatures, how few vast as the whale!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/of-erections-how-few-are-domed-like-st-peter-s-of-creatures-how-few/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## More by Benjamin Constant > [There are things one does not say for a long time, but, once they are said, one never stops repeating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/there-are-things-one-does-not-say-for-a-long-time-but-once-they-are/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“Woe to the man who in the first moments of a love-affair does not believe that it will last forever! Woe to him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/woe-to-the-man-who-in-the-first-moments-of-a-love-affair-does-not/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [The people who, in order to enjoy the liberty which suites them, resort to the representative system, must exercise an active and constant surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/the-people-who-in-order-to-enjoy-the-liberty-which-suites-them-resort/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“There is indeed in the contemplation of beauty of any kind, something which detaches us from ourselves by making us feel that perfection is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/there-is-indeed-in-the-contemplation-of-beauty-of-any-kind-something/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [The great question in life is the suffering we cause, and the most ingenious metaphysics do not justify the man who has broken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/the-great-question-in-life-is-the-suffering-we-cause-and-the-most/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [Art for art's sake, with no purpose, for any purpose perverts art. But art achieves a purpose which is not its own. (1804)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/art-for-art-s-sake-with-no-purpose-for-any-purpose-perverts-art-but/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“I detest that fatuity of mind which believes that what is explained is also excused; I hate that vanity which finds it interesting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/i-detest-that-fatuity-of-mind-which-believes-that-what-is-explained/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“Nearly always, so as to live at peace with ourselves, we disguise our own impotence and weakness as calculation and policy; it is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/nearly-always-so-as-to-live-at-peace-with-ourselves-we-disguise-our/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“Consoler of our misery, religion is at the same time the most natural of our emotions. Unknown to us, all our physical sensations, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/consoler-of-our-misery-religion-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-natural/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“We are such volatile creatures, we finally feel sentiments we feign”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/we-are-such-volatile-creatures-we-finally-feel-sentiments-we-feign/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [No duty, however, binds us to these so-called laws, whose corrupting influence menaces what is noblest in our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/no-duty-however-binds-us-to-these-so-called-laws-whose-corrupting/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [Every time government attempts to handle our affairs, it costs more and the results are worse than if we had handled them ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/every-time-government-attempts-to-handle-our-affairs-it-costs-more/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [There is a bizarre notion according to which it is claimed that because men are corrupt, it is necessary to give certain of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/there-is-a-bizarre-notion-according-to-which-it-is-claimed-that/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“Le lingue straniere ringiovaniscono i pensieri.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/le-lingue-straniere-ringiovaniscono-i-pensieri/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) > [“It is true that love is a feeling one places, whenever one feels the need of placing it, on the first object that happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-constant/it-is-true-that-love-is-a-feeling-one-places-whenever-one-feels-the/) [Benjamin Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) [Explore all 16 Benjamin Constant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-constant/) ## More Dark night quotes > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-a-dark-night-for-man-but-in-this-very-way-it-gives-him-light/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maine out of season is unmistakably a great destination: hospitable, good-humored, plenty of elbow room, short days, dark nights of crackling ice crystals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/maine-out-of-season-is-unmistakably-a-great-destination-hospitable/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [“Too often on such occasions one feels, as I feel so strongly with regard to poor old Stilton, that the kindly thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/too-often-on-such-occasions-one-feels-as-i-feel-so-strongly-with/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Look at all the resources around you before you make a decision. Look for ways to make your environment work for you. The solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-sutherland/look-at-all-the-resources-around-you-before-you-make-a-decision-look/) [C.D. SUTHERLAND](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-sutherland/) > [“Sitting outside on a dark night, under the stars, invites confidences amongst people of all ages, and all walks of life. It invokes an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-shepherd/sitting-outside-on-a-dark-night-under-the-stars-invites-confidences/) [A.B. Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-shepherd/) > [One thing is certain, whatever choices we make: we will not miss out on some critical purgation by seeking treatment for depression or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-farrington/one-thing-is-certain-whatever-choices-we-make-we-will-not-miss-out-on/) [Tim Farrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-farrington/) > [“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-important-questions-are-answered-by-not-liking-only-but-disliking/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/a-swift-carriage-of-a-dark-night-rattling-with-four-horses-over-roads/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“The dark night of fascism is always descending in the United States and yet lands only in Europe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/the-dark-night-of-fascism-is-always-descending-in-the-united-states/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night I can see paradise by the dashboard light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-it-s-cold-and-lonely-in-the-deep-dark-night-i-can-see-paradise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Oh, it is sad for a poor Christian to stand at the door of the promise, in the dark night of affliction, afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/oh-it-is-sad-for-a-poor-christian-to-stand-at-the-door-of-the-promise/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“Korsakov turned away, sighing heavily as he made his way toward his SUV. It had been the early winter of 1997, a dark night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-england/korsakov-turned-away-sighing-heavily-as-he-made-his-way-toward-his/) [Stephen England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-england/) > [“Perhaps, if I use my reason in good faith, I may suceed in discovering some ray of probability to lighten me in the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/perhaps-if-i-use-my-reason-in-good-faith-i-may-suceed-in-discovering/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Browse all 380 Dark night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How would you define the impression of a dark night, of an ancient forest, of the wind moaning through ruins or over graves, of the ocean stretching beyond our sight? 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