--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!" description: "\"How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!\" — Jean de la Bruyere" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png" --- # How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude! ![“How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png) > “How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!” [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Solitude is fleeting yet intensely sweet, highlighting its brief, cherished nature. **In simple terms:** Solitude is briefly sweet. Key Takeaway Savor moments of alone time. Themes solitude ephemerality appreciation Mood contemplative poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - personal reflection - mental health breaks Key Concepts existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - Do you cherish or fear solitude? - How does fleetingness affect its value? A Different Perspective Solitude can also lead to loneliness if overindulged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Loneliness and solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness-and-solitude/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-sweet-4763598/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Sweet Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet-passing-5359335/) [Sweet Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet-solitude-3958870/) ## Related quotes > [How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude! But grant me still a friend in my retreat, whom I may whisper, solitude is sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude-but-grant-me-still-a-friend/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [O thrush, your song is passing sweet, But never a song that you have sung Is half so sweet as thrushes sang When my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/o-thrush-your-song-is-passing-sweet-but-never-a-song-that-you-have/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Half the pleasure of solitude comes from having with us some friend to whom we can say how sweet solitude is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jay/half-the-pleasure-of-solitude-comes-from-having-with-us-some-friend/) [William Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jay/) > [Loneliness is equal to the radius of one's awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/loneliness-is-equal-to-the-radius-of-one-s-awareness/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [“...Bhutan all but bases its identity upon its loneliness, and its refusal to b assimilated into India, or Tibet, or Nepal. Vietnam, at present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/bhutan-all-but-bases-its-identity-upon-its-loneliness-and-its-refusal/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [In the temple of his spirit, each man is alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/in-the-temple-of-his-spirit-each-man-is-alone/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The great omission in American life is solitude; not loneliness, for this is an alienation that thrives most in the midst of crowds, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-great-omission-in-american-life-is-solitude-not-loneliness-for/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [“There's a difference between loneliness and solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/there-s-a-difference-between-loneliness-and-solitude/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [People often expect the other person to respond first in a positive way, instead of taking the initiative to create that possibility. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/people-often-expect-the-other-person-to-respond-first-in-a-positive/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In solitude, be a multitude to thyself. Tibullus by all means use sometimes to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-solitude-be-a-multitude-to-thyself-tibullus-by-all-means-use/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [By all means use sometimes to be alone. Salute thyself: see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-sometimes-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Loneliness is a drug, a narcotic; it grows through veins, through nerves and muscles; it assumes some right of possession over your body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/loneliness-is-a-drug-a-narcotic-it-grows-through-veins-through-nerves/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/when-one-is-a-stranger-to-oneself-then-one-is-estranged-from-others/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More Loneliness and solitude quotes > [When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/when-one-is-a-stranger-to-oneself-then-one-is-estranged-from-others/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Loneliness is a drug, a narcotic; it grows through veins, through nerves and muscles; it assumes some right of possession over your body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/loneliness-is-a-drug-a-narcotic-it-grows-through-veins-through-nerves/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [By all means use sometimes to be alone. Salute thyself: see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-sometimes-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [In solitude, be a multitude to thyself. Tibullus by all means use sometimes to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-solitude-be-a-multitude-to-thyself-tibullus-by-all-means-use/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [People often expect the other person to respond first in a positive way, instead of taking the initiative to create that possibility. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/people-often-expect-the-other-person-to-respond-first-in-a-positive/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“There's a difference between loneliness and solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/there-s-a-difference-between-loneliness-and-solitude/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [The great omission in American life is solitude; not loneliness, for this is an alienation that thrives most in the midst of crowds, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-great-omission-in-american-life-is-solitude-not-loneliness-for/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [In the temple of his spirit, each man is alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/in-the-temple-of-his-spirit-each-man-is-alone/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“...Bhutan all but bases its identity upon its loneliness, and its refusal to b assimilated into India, or Tibet, or Nepal. Vietnam, at present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/bhutan-all-but-bases-its-identity-upon-its-loneliness-and-its-refusal/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Loneliness is equal to the radius of one's awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/loneliness-is-equal-to-the-radius-of-one-s-awareness/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [lonely people are always up in the middle of the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/lonely-people-are-always-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [I want to be left alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-want-to-be-left-alone/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [“Writing is a solitary job--that is, no one can help you with it, bu there's nothing lonely about it. I have always been too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writing-is-a-solitary-job-that-is-no-one-can-help-you-with-it-bu/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 38 Loneliness and solitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness-and-solitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Loneliness and solitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_loneliness-and-solit_how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude_767164.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!” — Jean de la Bruyere", "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": "Jean de la Bruyere", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How sweet, how passing sweet, is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-sweet-how-passing-sweet-is-solitude/#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 } } ] } ```