---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By this time, like one who had set out on…"
description: "\"By this time, like one who had set out on his way by night, and travelled through a region of smooth or idle dreams, our history now arrives on the con..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/john-milton-191_clear_by-this-time-like-one-who-had-set-out-on_430169.jpg"
---

#  By this time, like one who had set out on his way by…

![“By this time, like one who had set out on his way by night, and travelled through a region of smooth or idle dreams, our history now arrives on the confines, where daylight and truth meet us with a clear dawn, representing to our view, though at a far distance, true colours and shapes.” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/john-milton-191_clear_by-this-time-like-one-who-had-set-out-on_430169.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/john-milton-191_clear_by-this-time-like-one-who-had-set-out-on_430169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/john-milton-191_clear_by-this-time-like-one-who-had-set-out-on_430169.jpg)

> “By this time, like one who had set out on his way by night, and travelled through a region of smooth or idle dreams, our history now arrives on the confines, where daylight and truth meet us with a clear dawn, representing to our view, though at a far distance, true colours and shapes.”

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Uses night travel metaphor to illustrate emerging clarity and truth after confusion.

**In simple terms:** Truth emerges like dawn after night.

Key Takeaway

Embrace clarity.

Themes

knowledge journey awakening

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- academic study
- creative writing
- mindfulness practice

Key Concepts

metaphor spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- What does ‘dawn’ represent for you?
- How do you navigate between dreams and reality?

A Different Perspective

Clarity may be fleeting, requiring continual effort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Clear Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-dawn-3793408/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Dawn Representing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn-representing-3793409/) [Daylight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daylight/) [Daylight Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daylight-truth-3793406/) [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Far distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-distance/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Arrives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-arrives-3793405/) [Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idle/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night Travelled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-travelled-3793407/) [Regions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regions/) [Representing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representing/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Smooth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smooth/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

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[Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/)

## More by John Milton

> [Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-quarrels-oft-in-pleasing-concord-end/)

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