Another time Quote by Rainer Maria Rilke
““that Rome (if one does not yet know it) has an oppressingly sad effect for the first few days: through the lifeless and doleful museum atmosphere it exhales, through the abundance of its pasts, fetched-forth and laboriously upheld pasts (on which a small present subsists), through the immense overestimation, sustained by savants and philologists and copied by the average traveler in Italy, of all these disfigured and dilapidated things, which at bottom are after all no more than chance remains of another time and of a life that is not and must not be ours. Finally, after weeks of being daily on the defensive, one finds oneself again, if still somewhat confused, and one says to oneself: no, there is not more beauty here than elsewhere, and all these objects, continuously admired by generations and patched and mended by workmen's hands, signify nothing, are nothing, and have no heart and no value; -- but there is much beauty here, because there is much beauty everywhere.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Letters to a Young Poet, 1929
The initial awe of ancient ruins can feel oppressive, but over time one realizes that beauty exists everywhere, not just in historic relics.
In simple terms: First impressions of old sites may seem overwhelming, yet beauty is universal.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that beauty is not limited to the past.
Themes
history
perception
beauty
transience
culture
Mood
contemplative
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- travel
- museum visits
- historical tours
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
aesthetic appreciation
temporal relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does time change your perception of historic places?
- Can you find beauty in the present without comparing to the past?
A Different Perspective
The view may overlook the emotional resonance that some people find in preserved artifacts.
