--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world surely has not another place…" description: "\"The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave it, for it would take a lifetime and more tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg" --- # The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is… ![“The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave it, for it would take a lifetime and more than one to comprehend and enjoy it satisfactorily.” quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg) > “The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave it, for it would take a lifetime and more than one to comprehend and enjoy it satisfactorily.” [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Oxford is uniquely beautiful and irreplaceable; leaving it feels like a loss that takes a lifetime to understand fully. **In simple terms:** Oxford is a rare, cherished place. Key Takeaway Appreciate unique experiences. Themes nostalgia place beauty Mood wistful admiring Type literary reflective When to use this quote - travel - education - historical tours - expatriate life Key Concepts cultural heritage environmental psychology Questions to Reflect On - What makes a place unforgettable? - How can you capture its essence after leaving? A Different Perspective May romanticize beyond reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't really like being at college. It wasn't like it was Oxford and had been the most wonderful time of my life. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/i-didn-t-really-like-being-at-college-it-wasn-t-like-it-was-oxford/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [What I like about Oxford is how small it is; it's really more of a big town than a city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shannon/what-i-like-about-oxford-is-how-small-it-is-it-s-really-more-of-a-big/) [Samantha Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shannon/) > [“The Bodleian above anything else made Oxford what it was . . . There was something incommunicably grand about it, something difficult to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-finch/the-bodleian-above-anything-else-made-oxford-what-it-was-there-was/) [Charles Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-finch/) > [Manchester has a wonderful vibe and I really like Oxford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/manchester-has-a-wonderful-vibe-and-i-really-like-oxford/) [Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/) > [“But Venice, like Oxford, had kept the background for romance, and, to the true romantic, background was everything, or almost everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-venice-like-oxford-had-kept-the-background-for-romance-and-to-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“...it occurred to me, not for the first time, what a remarkably small world Britain is. That is its glory, you see--that it manages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/it-occurred-to-me-not-for-the-first-time-what-a-remarkably-small/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [When I first decided to take off the tap shoes and concentrate on theatre directing, Dominic Dromgoole got in touch to ask if I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/when-i-first-decided-to-take-off-the-tap-shoes-and-concentrate-on/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) > [“Belief, once seeded, could bend the world more surely than force.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-k-y-loo/belief-once-seeded-could-bend-the-world-more-surely-than-force/) Jasmine K.Y. Loo > [Job's forthright indictment of the injustice of this world is surely right. The ways of the world are weird and much more unpredictable than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kaufmann/job-s-forthright-indictment-of-the-injustice-of-this-world-is-surely/) [Walter Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kaufmann/) > [We all always sacrifice for world …n surely a day will come when the world sacrifice for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-chand/we-all-always-sacrifice-for-world-n-surely-a-day-will-come-when-the/) Khem Chand > [“Remember if logic were all there really was to the world, then surely all men would ride sidesaddle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/remember-if-logic-were-all-there-really-was-to-the-world-then-surely/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“Whatever the composition of this new world might be, I surely have no choice but to accept it in silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/whatever-the-composition-of-this-new-world-might-be-i-surely-have-no/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I think that if all kids aspire to reach a point where they could feed themselves and a few of their friends, this would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-think-that-if-all-kids-aspire-to-reach-a-point-where-they-could/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [If a harmonious relationship is established amongst societies and religious beliefs in today's multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural world, then it will surely set a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-a-harmonious-relationship-is-established-amongst-societies-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The world is surely not worth living now, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/the-world-is-surely-not-worth-living-now-is-it/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) ## More by Nathaniel Hawthorne > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-trees-reflected-in-the-river-they-are-unconscious-of-a-spiritual/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire, I longed to kindle one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/my-heart-was-a-habitation-large-enough-for-many-guests-but-lonely-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/wherever-there-is-a-heart-and-an-intellect-the-diseases-of-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/he-seemed-to-be-in-quest-for-mental-food-not-heart-sustenance/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unfathomable-to-mere-mortals-is-the-lore-of-fiends/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Possibly, he was in a state of second growth and recovery, and was constantly assimilating nutriment for his spirit and intellect from sights, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/possibly-he-was-in-a-state-of-second-growth-and-recovery-and-was/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“What wonder, then, should we be frightened by the aspect of a monster, which, after all,—though we can point to every feature of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-wonder-then-should-we-be-frightened-by-the-aspect-of-a-monster/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [As the architecture of a country always follows the earliest structures, American architecture should be a refinement of the log-house. The Egyptian is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/as-the-architecture-of-a-country-always-follows-the-earliest/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [What we call real estate - the solid ground to build a house on - is the broad foundation on which nearly all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-we-call-real-estate-the-solid-ground-to-build-a-house-on-is-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The bookworm of great libraries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-bookworm-of-great-libraries/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-are-many-things-in-this-world-that-a-child-must-not-ask-about/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) [Explore all 526 Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave it, for it would take a lifetime and more than one to comprehend and enjoy it satisfactorily.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathaniel Hawthorne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-like-oxford-it-is-a-despair-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-like-oxford-it-is-a-despair-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_despair_the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-l_237942.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world surely has not another place like Oxford; it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave…” — Nathaniel Hawthorne", "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": "Nathaniel Hawthorne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world surely has not another...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-like-oxford-it-is-a-despair-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-world-surely-has-not-another-place-like-oxford-it-is-a-despair-to/#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 } } ] } ```