--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only the middle-aged have all their five…" description: "\"Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.\" — Hervey Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg" --- # Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the… ![“Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.” quote by Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg) > “Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.” [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Maturity brings a balanced integration of perception and intellect, allowing seasoned individuals to navigate life with nuanced awareness. **In simple terms:** Maturity sharpens perception and judgment. Key Takeaway Age refines sensory and mental harmony. Themes Maturity Perception Wisdom Balance Experience Mood Reflective Thoughtful Type Proverb Observation When to use this quote - Decision making in career - Managing family dynamics - Handling complex projects Key Concepts Sensory integration Cognitive maturity Life navigation Practical Applications - Leadership coaching - Strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - How does age influence decision quality? - Can younger people develop similar balance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Five senses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-senses/) [Middle aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-aged/) [Middle ages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ages/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-only-time-you-really-live-fully-is-from-thirty-to-sixty-the-young/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Six senses keeping Five around a sense of self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/six-senses-keeping-five-around-a-sense-of-self/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [Youth! There is nothing like youth. The middle-aged are mortgaged to Life. The old are in Life's lumber-room. But youth is the Lord of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/youth-there-is-nothing-like-youth-the-middle-aged-are-mortgaged-to-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Its avowed purpose is to excite sexual desire, which, I should have thought, is unnecessary in the case of the young, inconvenient in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/its-avowed-purpose-is-to-excite-sexual-desire-which-i-should-have/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [It is one of the consolations of middle aged reformers that the good that they inculcate must live after them if it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-hugh-munro/it-is-one-of-the-consolations-of-middle-aged-reformers-that-the-good/) [Hector Hugh Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-hugh-munro/) > [I tell you old and young are better than tired middle-aged, nothing is so dead dead-tired, dead every way as middle-aged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-tell-you-old-and-young-are-better-than-tired-middle-aged-nothing-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Last night was Super Tuesday - a 10-state GOP Primary orgy. A big, sweaty pile of lever-yankin Republican voters. And like most orgies, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/last-night-was-super-tuesday-a-10-state-gop-primary-orgy-a-big-sweaty/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Younger players in this music often turn out to be middle aged; it is not a young music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/younger-players-in-this-music-often-turn-out-to-be-middle-aged-it-is/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Every woman dreams of love. When she is young she prays she will find it. When she is middle aged she hopes for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-cartland/every-woman-dreams-of-love-when-she-is-young-she-prays-she-will-find/) [Barbara Cartland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-cartland/) > [The purpose of the Senate is to keep 100 middle aged knuckleheads out of the private sector where they can do real harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-purpose-of-the-senate-is-to-keep-100-middle-aged-knuckleheads-out/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I have never yet heard any middle-aged man or woman who worked with his or her brains express any regret for the passing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/i-have-never-yet-heard-any-middle-aged-man-or-woman-who-worked-with/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/) [Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/) > [Modern science is under no obligation to satisfy the expectations of your five senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/modern-science-is-under-no-obligation-to-satisfy-the-expectations-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The roots of Sansar (worldly life) are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed). Karmendriyo (five physical organs for action) and Gnanendriyo (five senses organs) are not the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-roots-of-sansar-worldly-life-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More by Hervey Allen > [Here the Frenchman, Spaniard, and Englishman all passed, leaving each his legend; and a brilliant and more or less feudal civilization with its aristocracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/here-the-frenchman-spaniard-and-englishman-all-passed-leaving-each/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Legends are material to be moulded, and not facts to be recorded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/legends-are-material-to-be-moulded-and-not-facts-to-be-recorded/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Local color has a fatal tendency to remain local; but it is also true that the universal often borders on the void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/local-color-has-a-fatal-tendency-to-remain-local-but-it-is-also-true/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Each new generation is a fresh invasion of savages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/each-new-generation-is-a-fresh-invasion-of-savages/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Religions change; beer and wine remain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/religions-change-beer-and-wine-remain/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Southward, two mighty ranges of the Appalachians shouldered their way into the blue distance like tremendous caravans marching across eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/southward-two-mighty-ranges-of-the-appalachians-shouldered-their-way/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [In a continent but recently settled, many parts of which have as yet little historical or cultural background, the material for this volume has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/in-a-continent-but-recently-settled-many-parts-of-which-have-as-yet/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Some of the shells brought my heart into my mouth; lying there waiting for them was intolerable. I was sure I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/some-of-the-shells-brought-my-heart-into-my-mouth-lying-there-waiting/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) > [Between the villages of Aubiere and Romagnat in the ancient Province of Auvergne there is an old road that comes suddenly over the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/between-the-villages-of-aubiere-and-romagnat-in-the-ancient-province/) [Hervey Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) [Explore all 10 Hervey Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/) ## 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. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hervey Allen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five-senses-in-the-keeping-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five-senses-in-the-keeping-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/hervey-allen-42531_age_only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five_70944.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.” — Hervey Allen", "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": "Hervey Allen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hervey-allen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only the middle-aged have all their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five-senses-in-the-keeping-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hervey-allen/only-the-middle-aged-have-all-their-five-senses-in-the-keeping-of/#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 } } ] } ```