--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing was first, and shall be last /…" description: "\"“Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds forever, And nothing ever yet scap't death / so can't the longest liver: Nothing's so Immorta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg" --- # Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds… ![“Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds forever, And nothing ever yet scap't death / so can't the longest liver: Nothing's so Immortall, nothing can, From crosses ever keepe a man, Nothing can live, when the world is gone, for all shall come to nothing.” quote by Sir William Cornwallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg) > ““Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds forever, And nothing ever yet scap't death / so can't the longest liver: Nothing's so Immortall, nothing can, From crosses ever keepe a man, Nothing can live, when the world is gone, for all shall come to nothing.”” [Sir William Cornwallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-william-cornwallis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All things are fleeting; nothing endures forever, and death ultimately claims everything. **In simple terms:** Nothing lasts forever; death ends all. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and live meaningfully now. Themes mortality impermanence philosophy existence death Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - life planning - ethical decision‑making - grief counseling Key Concepts ephemeral nature nihilism spiritual reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging impermanence change your priorities? - What comforts you against the inevitability of death? A Different Perspective The poetic language may obscure practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Longest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-longest-1967178/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Liver Immortall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liver-immortall-5821915/) [Longest Liver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longest-liver-2709056/) [Shall Holds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-holds-5821916/) ## Related quotes > [Build then the ship of death, for you must take the longest journey, to oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/build-then-the-ship-of-death-for-you-must-take-the-longest-journey-to/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“that that life which any the longest liver, or the shortest liver parts with, is for length and duration the very same, for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/that-that-life-which-any-the-longest-liver-or-the-shortest-liver/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Without wishing to damp the ardor of curiosity or influence the freedom of inquiry, I will hazard a prediction that, after the most industrious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/without-wishing-to-damp-the-ardor-of-curiosity-or-influence-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Watching a peaceful death of a human being reminds us of a falling star; one of a million lights in a vast sky that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/watching-a-peaceful-death-of-a-human-being-reminds-us-of-a-falling/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/) [Anne Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-serling/) > [There is no occasion for our rejoicing at a foe's death, because our own life will also not last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/there-is-no-occasion-for-our-rejoicing-at-a-foe-s-death-because-our/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [Whole scenes of your life slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-house/whole-scenes-of-your-life-slip-away-forever-if-you-don-t-put-them/) [Silas House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-house/) > [What does forever mean to you? When you couldnt even keep it true You said were youd forever be there But were those just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/what-does-forever-mean-to-you-when-you-couldnt-even-keep-it-true-you/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds forever, And nothing ever yet scap't death / so can't the longest liver: Nothing's so Immortall, nothing can, From crosses ever keepe a man, Nothing can live, when the world is gone, for all shall come to nothing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sir William Cornwallis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-cornwallis/nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for-nothing-holds-forever-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-cornwallis/nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for-nothing-holds-forever-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/sir-william-cornwallis-278555_death_nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for_1555151.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing was first, and shall be last / for nothing holds forever, And nothing ever yet scap't death / so…” — Sir William Cornwallis", "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": "Sir William Cornwallis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-william-cornwallis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Nothing was first, and shall be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-cornwallis/nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for-nothing-holds-forever-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-cornwallis/nothing-was-first-and-shall-be-last-for-nothing-holds-forever-and/#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 } } ] } ```