--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All round and round does the world lie as…" description: "\"All round and round does the world lie as in a sharp-shooter's ambush, to pick off the beautiful illusions of youth, by the pitiless cracking rifles of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/herman-melville-162_age_all-round-and-round-does-the-world-lie-a_2532996.jpg" --- # All round and round does the world lie as in a… ![“All round and round does the world lie as in a sharp-shooter's ambush, to pick off the beautiful illusions of youth, by the pitiless cracking rifles of the realities of age.” quote by Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/herman-melville-162_age_all-round-and-round-does-the-world-lie-a_2532996.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/herman-melville-162_age_all-round-and-round-does-the-world-lie-a_2532996.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/herman-melville-162_age_all-round-and-round-does-the-world-lie-a_2532996.jpg) > “All round and round does the world lie as in a sharp-shooter's ambush, to pick off the beautiful illusions of youth, by the pitiless cracking rifles of the realities of age.” [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youthful optimism is shattered by harsh realities, like ambushes that destroy beautiful illusions. **In simple terms:** Reality crushes youthful dreams. Key Takeaway Prepare for life's harsh truths while preserving hope. Themes youth illusion reality age mortality disillusionment Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career transitions - aging - mental health counseling - philosophical study Key Concepts existential crisis loss of innocence life’s harshness Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile youthful hope with adult reality? - What practices sustain optimism amid hardship? A Different Perspective May foster cynicism; could diminish motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Rifles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rifles/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [All sorts of allowances are made for the illusions of youth, and none, or almost none for the disenchantment of age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/all-sorts-of-allowances-are-made-for-the-illusions-of-youth-and-none/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Where is there such an one who has not a thousand times been struck with a sort of infidel idea, that whatever other worlds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/where-is-there-such-an-one-who-has-not-a-thousand-times-been-struck/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you cant lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-lie-to-anyone-else-in-the-world-but-you-cant-lie-to-yourself/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The reason for the slow progress of the world seems to lie in a single fact. 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LeClaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-d-leclaire/) > [“You can easily discern whether someone is truly interested to learn & know when s/he asks you or cornering and ambushing you to stumble...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/you-can-easily-discern-whether-someone-is-truly-interested-to-learn/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) ## More by Herman Melville > [“and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-man-though-idiotic-and-knowing-not-what-he-does-yet-full-of-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the complete abasement of poor Starbuck's fortitude, scarce might I have the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/but-were-the-coming-narrative-to-reveal-in-any-instance-the-complete/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“(On Ralph Waldo Emerson)I love all men who dive. 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For hardly have we mortals by long toilings extracted from this world's vast bulk its small but valuable sperm; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/yet-this-is-life-for-hardly-have-we-mortals-by-long-toilings/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I never fancied broiling fowls; - though once broiled, judiciously buttered, and judgmatically salted and peppered, there is no one who will speak more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/i-never-fancied-broiling-fowls-though-once-broiled-judiciously/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/war-should-be-carried-on-like-a-monsoon-one-changeless-determination/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Genius is full of trash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/genius-is-full-of-trash/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) [Explore all 1,009 Herman Melville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. 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