--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue…" description: "\"Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;- All things, in short, to which belong The charm, the grace that Time makes strong, All these I prize, but (entre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/henry-austin-dobson-37286_all-things_old-books-old-wine-old-nankin-blue-all-t_1237579.jpg" --- # Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;- All things, in… ![“Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;- All things, in short, to which belong The charm, the grace that Time makes strong, All these I prize, but (entre nous) Old friends are best!” quote by Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/henry-austin-dobson-37286_all-things_old-books-old-wine-old-nankin-blue-all-t_1237579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/henry-austin-dobson-37286_all-things_old-books-old-wine-old-nankin-blue-all-t_1237579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/henry-austin-dobson-37286_all-things_old-books-old-wine-old-nankin-blue-all-t_1237579.jpg) > “Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;- All things, in short, to which belong The charm, the grace that Time makes strong, All these I prize, but (entre nous) Old friends are best!” [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Old friends hold a timeless charm and grace that outlasts material pleasures. **In simple terms:** Old friends are the most valuable. Key Takeaway Cherish long‑standing friendships. Themes friendship time nostalgia value Mood warm reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - reunions - letter writing - celebrations - memory keeping Key Concepts longevity trust shared history Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor old friends? - What new connections can you nurture? A Different Perspective New acquaintances also enrich life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Charm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Nature of Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-beauty/) [Old friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-friends/) [Old wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-wine/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Old wine, and an old friend, are good provisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/old-wine-and-an-old-friend-are-good-provisions/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [What find you better or more honourable than age? Take the preheminence of it in everything, in an old friend, in old wine, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shackerley-marmion/what-find-you-better-or-more-honourable-than-age-take-the/) Shackerley Marmion > [I love everything that's old, - old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/i-love-everything-that-s-old-old-friends-old-times-old-manners-old/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Do not be deceived by the outward appearance of age or youth - a new pitcher may be full of good, old wine, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-the-prince/do-not-be-deceived-by-the-outward-appearance-of-age-or-youth-a-new/) Judah the Prince > [Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/old-wood-best-to-burn-old-wine-to-drink-old-friends-to-trust-and-old/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/age-appears-to-be-best-in-four-things-old-wood-best-to-burn-old-wine/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Better is old wine than new, and old friends like-wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/better-is-old-wine-than-new-and-old-friends-like-wise/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [“Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/age-appears-best-in-four-things-old-wood-to-burn-old-wine-to-drink/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Old books that have ceased to be of service should no more be abandoned than should old friends who have ceased to give pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/old-books-that-have-ceased-to-be-of-service-should-no-more-be/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best to read. Old rice best to eat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-old-wood-best-to-burn-old-books/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Old books are like Old friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/old-books-are-like-old-friends/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-are-three-things-that-grow-more-precious-with-age-old-wood-to/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“We hate old friends: we hate old books: we hate old opinions; and at last we come to hate ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-hate-old-friends-we-hate-old-books-we-hate-old-opinions-and-at/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Age appears to be best in some things Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-grace/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-age-appears-to-be-best-in-some/) [Lorna Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-grace/) > [My wife and I really enjoy a glass of red wine. We're too old to drink cheap wine, and we don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-henderson/my-wife-and-i-really-enjoy-a-glass-of-red-wine-we-re-too-old-to-drink/) [Paul Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henderson/) ## More by Henry Austin Dobson > [Alas, time stays, we go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/alas-time-stays-we-go/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [In merest prudence men should teach . . . That science ranks as monstrous things Two pairs of upper limbs; so wings-- E'en Angel's wings!--are fictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/in-merest-prudence-men-should-teach-that-science-ranks-as-monstrous/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [Fame is a food that dead men eat, I have no stomach for such meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/fame-is-a-food-that-dead-men-eat-i-have-no-stomach-for-such-meat/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [In the School of Coquettes Madam Rose is a scholar,-O, they fish with all nets In the School of Coquettes! When her brooch she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/in-the-school-of-coquettes-madam-rose-is-a-scholar-o-they-fish-with/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [“Time goes, you say? Ah no! 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Ah, no! alas, time stays, we go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/time-goes-you-say-ah-no-alas-time-stays-we-go/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [All the seasons run their race In this quiet resting-place; Peach, and apricot, and fig Here will ripen, and grow big; Here is store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/all-the-seasons-run-their-race-in-this-quiet-resting-place-peach-and/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [The ladies of St. James's! They're painted to the eyes; Their white is stays for ever, Their red it never dies; But Phyllida, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-austin-dobson/the-ladies-of-st-james-s-they-re-painted-to-the-eyes-their-white-is/) [Henry Austin Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-austin-dobson/) > [O, Love's but a dance, Where Time plays the fiddle! See the couples advance - O, Love's but a dance! 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They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. 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