Skip to content

Admire Quote by John Milton

“And what the people but a herd confus'd, A miscellaneous rabble, who extol Things vulgar, and, well weigh'd, scarce worth the praise? They praise, and they admire, they know not what; And know not whom, but as one leads the other; And what delight to be by such extoll'd, To live upon their…” quote by John Milton
Download Open image
“And what the people but a herd confus'd, A miscellaneous rabble, who extol Things vulgar, and, well weigh'd, scarce worth the praise? They praise, and they admire, they know not what; And know not whom, but as one leads the other; And what delight to be by such extoll'd, To live upon their tongues, and be their talk, Of whom to be disprais'd were no small praise?”

John Milton

About This Quote

Source Poem: Paradise Lost, Book 5, 1667

People blindly follow popular opinion, praising superficial things without understanding their true worth.

In simple terms: Crowds praise shallow things without knowing why.

Key Takeaway

Question the value of popular praise.

Themes

conformity criticism value judgment

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • political rallies
  • media consumption
  • marketing campaigns
  • academic debates

Key Concepts

social influence philosophical skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What do you admire without questioning?
  • How can you discern true worth from hype?
A Different Perspective

Popular opinion can sometimes reflect genuine merit, not just herd mentality.

4.0 out of 5 (7 ratings)

More by John Milton

Explore all 966 John Milton quotes

More Admire quotes

Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes