--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fame often rests at first upon something…" description: "\"Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and often, too, is swept away, or for a time removed; but neither genius nor glory, is conferred a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg" --- # Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and… ![“Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and often, too, is swept away, or for a time removed; but neither genius nor glory, is conferred at once, nor do they glimmer and fall, like drops in a grotto, at a shout.” quote by Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg) > “Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and often, too, is swept away, or for a time removed; but neither genius nor glory, is conferred at once, nor do they glimmer and fall, like drops in a grotto, at a shout.” [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fame can arise unexpectedly and be fleeting; true genius and lasting glory are not instantly granted nor easily sustained. **In simple terms:** Fame is fickle; true greatness takes time. Key Takeaway Seek lasting impact over fleeting fame. Themes fame genius transience legacy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - artistic pursuits - public recognition - personal development Key Concepts ephemeral success enduring achievement Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate fleeting fame from lasting impact? - What actions build enduring legacy? A Different Perspective Not all fame leads to lasting influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drops Grotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drops-grotto-2998533/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fame Rests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-rests-2202865/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Glory Conferred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-conferred-2998534/) [Rests Accidental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rests-accidental-2998535/) [Swept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swept/) [Swept away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swept-away/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There are not many poets whose fame rests on a single work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-vendler/there-are-not-many-poets-whose-fame-rests-on-a-single-work/) [Helen Vendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-vendler/) > [The whole thing of being in music is not to control it but to be swept away by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-hutcherson/the-whole-thing-of-being-in-music-is-not-to-control-it-but-to-be-2/) [Bobby Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-hutcherson/) > [I read 'Rebecca' when I was a teenager and was swept away by the powerful voice, the gut wrenching suspense and the dark, twisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/i-read-rebecca-when-i-was-a-teenager-and-was-swept-away-by-the/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [And all the good you've done will soon be swept away, You've begun to matter more than the things you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/and-all-the-good-you-ve-done-will-soon-be-swept-away-you-ve-begun-to/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [How many times have you fallen in love and just allowed yourself to be swept away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrina-patridge/how-many-times-have-you-fallen-in-love-and-just-allowed-yourself-to/) [Audrina Patridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrina-patridge/) > [The globalization that has swept away the barriers to the movement of goods, ideas and people has also swept with it barriers that confined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/the-globalization-that-has-swept-away-the-barriers-to-the-movement-of/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > ['Swept Away' is one of my favorite films of my father. I've seen it about 20 times. It's a cult movie in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriano-giannini/swept-away-is-one-of-my-favorite-films-of-my-father-i-ve-seen-it/) [Adriano Giannini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriano-giannini/) > [I try to see what the priorities are and not get terribly fussed about things that don't matter. Not be swept away by feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-tree/i-try-to-see-what-the-priorities-are-and-not-get-terribly-fussed/) [Penelope Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-tree/) > [When I watch a film I get swept away. I don't really watch the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/when-i-watch-a-film-i-get-swept-away-i-don-t-really-watch-the-camera/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [You can get swept away by a musical, but real tears are rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-fellner/you-can-get-swept-away-by-a-musical-but-real-tears-are-rare/) [Eric Fellner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-fellner/) > [Was genius ever ungrateful? Mere talents are dry leaves, tossed up and down by gusts of passion, and scattered and swept away; but, Genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/was-genius-ever-ungrateful-mere-talents-are-dry-leaves-tossed-up-and/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“Every day it got swept. All of the dirt each piece of dust and even the tiniest bread crumb of secret midnight snacks. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donal-o-callaghan/every-day-it-got-swept-all-of-the-dirt-each-piece-of-dust-and-even/) [Donal O'Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donal-o-callaghan/) > [If you are swept off your feet, it's time to get on your knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-beck/if-you-are-swept-off-your-feet-it-s-time-to-get-on-your-knees/) [Fred Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-beck/) > [In the 1950s and early 1960s, psychoanalysis swept through the intellectual community, and it was the dominant mode of thinking about the mind. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/in-the-1950s-and-early-1960s-psychoanalysis-swept-through-the/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [I'd had episodes before, but I swept them under the carpet. This time, I couldn't do that because everyone knew. I got on with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-kidder/i-d-had-episodes-before-but-i-swept-them-under-the-carpet-this-time-i/) [Margot Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-kidder/) ## More by Walter Savage Landor > [Nations, like individuals, interest us in their growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/nations-like-individuals-interest-us-in-their-growth/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Ah what avails the sceptred race, Ah what the form divine! What every virtue, every grace! Rose Aylmer, all were thine. Rose Aylmer, whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/ah-what-avails-the-sceptred-race-ah-what-the-form-divine-what-every/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [A solitude is the audience-chamber of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/a-solitude-is-the-audience-chamber-of-god/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [No ashes are lighter than those of incense, and few things burn out sooner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/no-ashes-are-lighter-than-those-of-incense-and-few-things-burn-out/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [As there are some flowers which you should smell but slightly to extract all that is pleasant in them ... so there are some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/as-there-are-some-flowers-which-you-should-smell-but-slightly-to/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [We talk on principle, but we act on interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/we-talk-on-principle-but-we-act-on-interest/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [States, like men, have their growth, their manhood, their decrepitude, their decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/states-like-men-have-their-growth-their-manhood-their-decrepitude/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The only effect of public punishment is to show the rabble how bravely it can be borne; and that every one who hath lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-only-effect-of-public-punishment-is-to-show-the-rabble-how/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Every great writer is a writer of history, let him treat on almost what subject he may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/every-great-writer-is-a-writer-of-history-let-him-treat-on-almost/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [I strove with none; for none was worth my strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/i-strove-with-none-for-none-was-worth-my-strife/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The habit of pleasing by flattery makes a language soft; the fear of offending by truth makes it circuitous and conventional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-habit-of-pleasing-by-flattery-makes-a-language-soft-the-fear-of/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [There is no eloquence which does not agitate the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/there-is-no-eloquence-which-does-not-agitate-the-soul/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [We care not how many see us in choler, when we rave and bluster, and make as much noise and bustle as we can;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/we-care-not-how-many-see-us-in-choler-when-we-rave-and-bluster-and/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Whatever is worthy to be loved for anything is worthy of preservation. A wise and dispassionate legislator, if any such should ever arise among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/whatever-is-worthy-to-be-loved-for-anything-is-worthy-of-preservation/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [The present, like a note in music, is nothing but as it appertains to what is past and what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-present-like-a-note-in-music-is-nothing-but-as-it-appertains-to/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) [Explore all 245 Walter Savage Landor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) ## More Fall quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [My life is a crystal teardrop. There are snowflakes falling in the teardrop and little figures trudging in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/my-life-is-a-crystal-teardrop-there-are-snowflakes-falling-in-the/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [Life will knock you down & it's tough, but you are strong enough. Get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-will-knock-you-down-it-s-tough-but-you-are-strong-enough-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/) [Kelseigh Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelseigh-ashton/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) [Browse all 13,401 Fall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and often, too, is swept away, or for a time removed; but neither genius nor glory, is conferred at once, nor do they glimmer and fall, like drops in a grotto, at a shout.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Savage Landor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something-accidental-and-often-too-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fall" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something-accidental-and-often-too-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dd/walter-savage-landor-1404_fall_fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something_317311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fame often rests at first upon something accidental, and often, too, is swept away, or for a time removed…” — Walter Savage Landor", "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": "Walter Savage Landor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fame often rests at first upon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something-accidental-and-often-too-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/fame-often-rests-at-first-upon-something-accidental-and-often-too-is/#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 } } ] } ```