Dark Shadows Quote by James Thomson
““How the moon triumphs through the endless nights! How the stars throb and glitter as they wheel Their thick processions of supernal lights Around the blue vault obdurate as steel! And men regard with passionate awe and yearning The mighty marching and the golden burning, And think the heavens respond to what they feel. Boats gliding like dark shadows of a dream Are glorified from vision as they pass The quivering moonbridge on the deep black stream; Cold windows kindle their dead glooms of glass To restless crystals; cornice dome and column Emerge from chaos in the splendour solemn; Like faery lakes gleam lawns of dewy grass. With such a living light these dead eyes shine, These eyes of sightless heaven, that as we gaze We read a pity, tremulous, divine, Or cold majestic scorn in their pure rays: Fond man! they are not haughty, are not tender; There is no heart or mind in all their splendour, They thread mere puppets all their marvellous maze.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Seasons, 1740
The poem marvels at celestial and earthly beauty, contrasting awe with the indifferent, mechanical nature of the cosmos and humanity's yearning for meaning.
In simple terms: Stars and moon inspire awe but are indifferent.
Recognize beauty while accepting life's indifference.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- stargazing
- poetry reading
- contemplation
- art appreciation
- philosophical reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you find personal meaning amid indifferent grandeur?
- Can beauty soften existential dread?
The cosmos may seem purposeful, but its vastness can overwhelm human significance.