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Dreams Quote by Virginia Woolf

“As summer neared, as the evening lengthened there came to the wakeful, the hopeful, walking the beach, stirring the pool, imaginations of the strangest kind- of flesh turned to atoms which drove before the wind, of stars flashing in their hearts, of outwardly the scattered parts of the vision…” quote by Virginia Woolf
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““As summer neared, as the evening lengthened there came to the wakeful, the hopeful, walking the beach, stirring the pool, imaginations of the strangest kind- of flesh turned to atoms which drove before the wind, of stars flashing in their hearts, of outwardly the scattered parts of the vision within. In those mirrors, the minds of men, in those pools of uneasy water, in which cloud forever and shadows form, dreams persisted; and it was impossible to resist the strange intimation which every gull, flower, tree, man and woman, and the white earth itself seemed to declare (but if you questioned at once to withdraw) that good triumph, happiness prevails, order rules, or to resist the extra ordinary stimulus to range hither and thither in search of some absolute good, some crystal of intensity remote from the known pleasures and familiar virtues, something alien to the processes of domestic life, single, hard, bright, like a diamond in the sand which would render the possessor secure. Moreover softened and acquiescent, the spring with their bees humming and gnats dancing threw her cloud about her, veiled her eyes, averted her head, and among passing shadows and fights of small rain seemed to have taken upon her knowledge of the sorrows of mankind.””

Virginia Woolf

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Waves by Virginia Woolf, 1931

The passage evokes a lyrical meditation on nature, imagination, and the yearning for transcendent joy amid ordinary life.

In simple terms: It reflects on nature’s beauty and the desire for deeper happiness.

Key Takeaway

Seek moments of wonder beyond daily routine.

Themes

nature imagination transcendence

Mood

dreamy inspirational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • creative writing
  • mindfulness practice
  • art appreciation

Key Concepts

literary modernism existential yearning

Questions to Reflect On

  • What images stir your deepest aspirations?
  • How can everyday moments become sources of profound joy?
A Different Perspective

The dense prose may obscure practical application for some readers.

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