--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything wonderful in appearance has…" description: "\"Everything wonderful in appearance has been ascribed to angels, to devils, or to saints. Everything ancient has some legendary tale annexed to it. The ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/thomas-paine-267_ancient_everything-wonderful-in-appearance-has-b_603824.png" --- # Everything wonderful in appearance has been ascribed to… ![“Everything wonderful in appearance has been ascribed to angels, to devils, or to saints. Everything ancient has some legendary tale annexed to it. The common operations of nature have not escaped their practice of corrupting everything.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/thomas-paine-267_ancient_everything-wonderful-in-appearance-has-b_603824.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/thomas-paine-267_ancient_everything-wonderful-in-appearance-has-b_603824.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/thomas-paine-267_ancient_everything-wonderful-in-appearance-has-b_603824.png) > “Everything wonderful in appearance has been ascribed to angels, to devils, or to saints. Everything ancient has some legendary tale annexed to it. The common operations of nature have not escaped their practice of corrupting everything.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human tendency to attribute extraordinary qualities to supernatural beings and mythic stories, while ordinary natural processes are often seen as corrupting forces. **In simple terms:** People mythologize the extraordinary and blame the mundane. Key Takeaway Recognize the ordinary in the extraordinary. Themes mythmaking perception human nature Mood reflective critical inquisitive Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - history lessons - art criticism - religious discourse - everyday observations Key Concepts anthropomorphism narrative bias Questions to Reflect On - Why do we assign divine or demonic origins to impressive things? - How does this affect our understanding of reality? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of natural processes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient Legendary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-legendary-4917448/) [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels/) [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Ascribed Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ascribed-angels-4917447/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Legendary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legendary/) [Operations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operations/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Saints Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints-ancient-4917446/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [It appears to general observation, that revolutions create genius and talents; but those events do no more than bring them forward. There is existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-appears-to-general-observation-that-revolutions-create-genius-and/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [I read that John Hughes script for 'Mr. Mom,' and I thought, 'This guy is a funny writer.' I went: 'You ought to stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-read-that-john-hughes-script-for-mr-mom-and-i-thought-this-guy-is-a/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [“Never wish a legendary love; you don’t know who hard is to have a simple one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/never-wish-a-legendary-love-you-don-t-know-who-hard-is-to-have-a/) [M.F. 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What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/those-who-expect-to-reap-the-blessings-of-freedom-must-like-men/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-has-been-the-practice-of-all-christian-commentators-on-the-bible/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Wisdom is not the purchase of a day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/wisdom-is-not-the-purchase-of-a-day/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. 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Let him believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-more-does-man-want-to-know-than-that-the-hand-or-power-that-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) [Explore all 772 Thomas Paine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. 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