--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth only smells sweet forever, and…" description: "\"Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however innocent, are deadly as the canker worm.\" — James Anthony Froude" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png" --- # Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however… ![“Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however innocent, are deadly as the canker worm.” quote by James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png) > “Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however innocent, are deadly as the canker worm.” [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He likens truth to lasting sweetness, while harmless lies become deadly over time. **In simple terms:** Truth endures, lies decay dangerously. Key Takeaway Seek lasting truth over fleeting falsehoods. Themes ethics truth illusion Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decisions - political discourse - media analysis Key Concepts moral philosophy literary metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What truths have you avoided? - How do you confront harmful myths? A Different Perspective Truth can be painful; lies may be comforting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“All my tips and tricks and woes and worries are gong to come tumbling out before you. I'm going to divulge them. What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/all-my-tips-and-tricks-and-woes-and-worries-are-gong-to-come-tumbling/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The gentlemen like it when a lady smells sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrice-small/the-gentlemen-like-it-when-a-lady-smells-sweet/) [Bertrice Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrice-small/) > [The body of a dead enemy always smells sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-body-of-a-dead-enemy-always-smells-sweet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A girl by any other name still smells as sweet, and, baby, you sure do smell good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-schiller/a-girl-by-any-other-name-still-smells-as-sweet-and-baby-you-sure-do/) [M.K. Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-k-schiller/) > [The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-past-is-the-only-dead-thing-that-smells-sweet/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Honor is an old-world thing; but it smells sweet to those in whose hand it is strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/honor-is-an-old-world-thing-but-it-smells-sweet-to-those-in-whose/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [“Everything that smells sweet, doesn't taste sweet!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijaya-raje-lakshmi/everything-that-smells-sweet-doesn-t-taste-sweet/) Vijaya Raje Lakshmi > [Remember, gentlemen, what a Roman emperor said: The corpse of an enemy always smells sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/remember-gentlemen-what-a-roman-emperor-said-the-corpse-of-an-enemy/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [It is very pleasant to scratch an itching ring-worm, but the sensation one gets afterwards is very painful and intolerable. In the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/it-is-very-pleasant-to-scratch-an-itching-ring-worm-but-the-sensation/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [Eating, drinking, sleeping a little laughter ! much weeping! Is that all ? Do not die here like a worm. Wake up! Attain immortal bliss!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/eating-drinking-sleeping-a-little-laughter-much-weeping-is-that-all/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [I don't really comment on my personal life because I feel like any comment at all is opening up a whole can of worms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hartnett/i-don-t-really-comment-on-my-personal-life-because-i-feel-like-any/) [Josh Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hartnett/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) ## More by James Anthony Froude > [No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/no-person-is-ever-good-for-much-that-hasn-t-been-swept-off-their-feet/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [We enter the world alone, we leave the world alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/we-enter-the-world-alone-we-leave-the-world-alone/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Mistakes are often the best teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/mistakes-are-often-the-best-teachers/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [High original genius is always ridiculed on its first appearance; most of all by those who have won themselves the highest reputation in working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/high-original-genius-is-always-ridiculed-on-its-first-appearance-most/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Look not to have your sepulchre built in after ages hy the same foolish hands which still ever destroy the living prophet. Small honour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/look-not-to-have-your-sepulchre-built-in-after-ages-hy-the-same/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The Providence that watches over the affairs of men works out of their mistakes, at times, a healthier issue than could have been accomplished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-providence-that-watches-over-the-affairs-of-men-works-out-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The practical effect of a belief is the real test of its soundness. Where we find a heroic life appearing as the uniform fruit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-practical-effect-of-a-belief-is-the-real-test-of-its-soundness/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [In everyday things the law of sacrifice takes the form of positive duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/in-everyday-things-the-law-of-sacrifice-takes-the-form-of-positive/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Beautiful is old age—beautiful as the slow-dropping mellow autumn of a rich glorious summer. In the old man, Nature has fulfilled her work; she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/beautiful-is-old-age-beautiful-as-the-slow-dropping-mellow-autumn-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The soul of man is not a thing which comes and goes, is builded and decays like the elemental frame in which it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-soul-of-man-is-not-a-thing-which-comes-and-goes-is-builded-and/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The war of good and evil is mightiest in mightiest souls, and even in the darkest time the heart will maintain its right against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-war-of-good-and-evil-is-mightiest-in-mightiest-souls-and-even-in/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Human improvement is from within outward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/human-improvement-is-from-within-outward/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The secret of a person's nature lies in their religion and what they really believes about the world and their place in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-secret-of-a-person-s-nature-lies-in-their-religion-and-what-they/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Men think to mend their condition by a change of circumstances. They might as well hope to escape from their shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/men-think-to-mend-their-condition-by-a-change-of-circumstances-they/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/there-are-epidemics-of-nobleness-as-well-as-epidemics-of-disease/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) [Explore all 117 James Anthony Froude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) ## More Forever quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [What does forever mean to you? When you couldnt even keep it true You said were youd forever be there But were those just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/what-does-forever-mean-to-you-when-you-couldnt-even-keep-it-true-you/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [Whole scenes of your life slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-house/whole-scenes-of-your-life-slip-away-forever-if-you-don-t-put-them/) [Silas House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-house/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [I want to do - I want to be putting out classic stuff that's gonna stick and last forever, you feel me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-want-to-do-i-want-to-be-putting-out-classic-stuff-that-s-gonna/) YG > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey Browse all 10,689 Forever quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however innocent, are deadly as the canker worm.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Anthony Froude" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illusions-however-innocent-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illusions-however-innocent-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/james-anthony-froude-4052_forever_truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illu_304718.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truth only smells sweet forever, and illusions, however innocent, are deadly as the canker worm.” — James Anthony Froude", "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": "James Anthony Froude", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truth only smells sweet forever, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illusions-however-innocent-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/truth-only-smells-sweet-forever-and-illusions-however-innocent-are/#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 } } ] } ```