--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The imaginations excited by the view of…" description: "\"The imaginations excited by the view of an unknown and untravelled wilderness are not such as arise in the artificial solitude of parks and gardens... ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/880/samuel-johnson-50_arise_the-imaginations-excited-by-the-view-of_2357339.png" --- # The imaginations excited by the view of an unknown and… ![“The imaginations excited by the view of an unknown and untravelled wilderness are not such as arise in the artificial solitude of parks and gardens... The phantoms which haunt a desert are want, and misery, and danger; the evils of dereliction rush upon the thoughts; man is made unwillingly…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/880/samuel-johnson-50_arise_the-imaginations-excited-by-the-view-of_2357339.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/880/samuel-johnson-50_arise_the-imaginations-excited-by-the-view-of_2357339.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/880/samuel-johnson-50_arise_the-imaginations-excited-by-the-view-of_2357339.png) > “The imaginations excited by the view of an unknown and untravelled wilderness are not such as arise in the artificial solitude of parks and gardens... The phantoms which haunt a desert are want, and misery, and danger; the evils of dereliction rush upon the thoughts; man is made unwillingly acquainted with his own weakness, and meditation shows him only how little he can sustain, and how little he can perform.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The untamed wilderness forces confronting with our own limits and fears, unlike curated parks that comfort. **In simple terms:** Wild places reveal personal weakness and danger. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges that expose your limits. Themes nature self‑reflection adversity growth Mood introspective challenging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - solo hiking - solo travel - remote work - survival training Key Concepts existential psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does confronting wilderness teach you about yourself? - How can you seek discomfort constructively? A Different Perspective Comfort zones can shelter growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Phantoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phantoms/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) ## Related quotes > [The art of meditation may be exercised at all hours, and in all places, and men of genius, in their walks, at table, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/the-art-of-meditation-may-be-exercised-at-all-hours-and-in-all-places/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [Ye who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, and pursue with eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age will perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/ye-who-listen-with-credulity-to-the-whispers-of-fancy-and-pursue-with/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Fear is implanted in us as a preservative from evil but its duty, like that of other passions, is not to overbear reason, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fear-is-implanted-in-us-as-a-preservative-from-evil-but-its-duty-like/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Where necessity ends, desire and curiosity begin; and no sooner are we supplied with everything nature can demand than we sit down to contrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/where-necessity-ends-desire-and-curiosity-begin-and-no-sooner-are-we/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Now we must remark, that there are two parts in the Commandment-the first forbids the erection of a graven image, or any likeness; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/now-we-must-remark-that-there-are-two-parts-in-the-commandment-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [This too is a jihad. 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So she's someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-sheik/i-did-a-song-court-and-spark-for-a-joni-mitchell-tribute-album-that-s/) [Duncan Sheik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-sheik/) > [There are few of us who have not sometimes wakened before dawn, either after one of those dreamless nights that make one almost enamoured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-are-few-of-us-who-have-not-sometimes-wakened-before-dawn-either/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I know that whenever a group of women are gathered together, the grandmother always makes a phantom appearance, hovering above them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/i-know-that-whenever-a-group-of-women-are-gathered-together-the/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [Robert Duvall taught me years ago. He said, "You know theatre is not real. I don't like plays." You know, he doesn't like plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/robert-duvall-taught-me-years-ago-he-said-you-know-theatre-is-not/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [“Women's regular bleeding engenders phantoms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/women-s-regular-bleeding-engenders-phantoms/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Arise quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The financial crisis we are facing today arises from the fact that there is almost no more social, cultural, natural, and spiritual capital left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/the-financial-crisis-we-are-facing-today-arises-from-the-fact-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. 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These chaotic fluctuations are, I suppose, what my music is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ferneyhough/in-my-model-important-interference-phenomena-arise-when-individual/) [Brian Ferneyhough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ferneyhough/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [An idea or institution may arise for one reason and be maintained for quite a different reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/an-idea-or-institution-may-arise-for-one-reason-and-be-maintained-for/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The oppressed without hope are mysteriously quiet. When the conception of change is beyond the limits of the possible, there are no words to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/the-oppressed-without-hope-are-mysteriously-quiet-when-the-conception/) [Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/) > [I arise full of eagerness and energy, knowing well what achievement lies ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-arise-full-of-eagerness-and-energy-knowing-well-what-achievement/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [When you train your thoughts to dissolve as they arise, they will cross your mind like a bird crosses the sky--without leaving a trace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julietta-suzuki/when-you-train-your-thoughts-to-dissolve-as-they-arise-they-will/) Julietta Suzuki > [Nothing, not even the best and noblest, can go on as it now is. 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