--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Time is the mercy of Eternity; without…" description: "\"Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.\" — William Blake" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/william-blake-397_compassion_time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-ti_29987.jpg" --- # Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness… ![“Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.” quote by William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/william-blake-397_compassion_time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-ti_29987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/william-blake-397_compassion_time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-ti_29987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/william-blake-397_compassion_time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-ti_29987.jpg) > “Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.” [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time provides a fleeting window that makes eternity tolerable; without its rapid flow, existence would be an endless suffering. **In simple terms:** Time tempers eternity's endlessness. Key Takeaway Speed of time eases eternal torment. Themes impermanence suffering philosophy of time existentialism Mood melancholic reflective Type aphorism poetic When to use this quote - contemplating mortality - discussing philosophy of time - writing poetry - exploring existential themes Key Concepts time eternity mercy torment Practical Applications - philosophical essays - creative writing Questions to Reflect On - How does the perception of time affect our experience of suffering? - Can eternity be imagined without time? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Torment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torment/) ## Related quotes > [Time is the Mercy of Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [This hideous doctrine of eternal torment after death has probably caused more terror and misery, more cruelty and more violation of natural human sympathy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-e-knight/this-hideous-doctrine-of-eternal-torment-after-death-has-probably/) [Margaret E. 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Before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/sin-is-a-thing-of-time-but-mercy-is-from-everlasting-transgression-is/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“God's time for mercy will come in fact, it has alredy come of our time for believing has arrived Ask in faith without wavering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-jones/god-s-time-for-mercy-will-come-in-fact-it-has-alredy-come-of-our-time/) Robin Jones > [What happened to that man I was seven autumns ago? What happened to that country? Time heals, yes - and thank God the pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/what-happened-to-that-man-i-was-seven-autumns-ago-what-happened-to/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > [“He shook his head repeatedly. "It's not that, you don't understand. This is a curse," he whispered. 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Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) ## More by William Blake > [Poetry fettered, fetters the human race. 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I was angry with my foe; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-poison-tree-i-was-angry-with-my-friend-i-told-my-wrath-my-wrath/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The bird a nest the spider a web the human friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-bird-a-nest-the-spider-a-web-the-human-friendship/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [You become what you behold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/you-become-what-you-behold/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) [Explore all 592 William Blake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. 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