--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How…" description: "\"What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill.\" — William Cowper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png" --- # What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory… ![“What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill.” quote by William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png) > “What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill.” [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on lost moments of peace and the lingering emptiness they leave. **In simple terms:** Missing peaceful times feel empty now. Key Takeaway Cherish present peace. Themes nostalgia loss peace Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic emotional When to use this quote - grieving past happiness - seeking calm - mindful presence Key Concepts impermanence longing memory Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor past peace? - What can you create now to fill the void? A Different Perspective It may romanticize loss, overlooking growth from change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Every child has inside him an aching void for excitement and if we don't fill it with something which is exciting and interesting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-child-has-inside-him-an-aching-void-for-excitement-and-if-we/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [My soul is all an aching void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/my-soul-is-all-an-aching-void/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [In love we become crazy and mad. But we don't get anything in it like a sweet memory. Because after break up sweet moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldyna-threesya/in-love-we-become-crazy-and-mad-but-we-don-t-get-anything-in-it-like/) [Aldyna Threesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldyna-threesya/) > [True love never dies, even if you have found a new love, the sweet memory of the past will continue to haunt you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-love-never-dies-even-if-you-have-found-a-new-love-the-sweet-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Back to him she would never go, but in her lonely life still lived the sweet memory of that happy time when she believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/back-to-him-she-would-never-go-but-in-her-lonely-life-still-lived-the/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Life is just a memory. Bitter or sweet, it is nothing but memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb/life-is-just-a-memory-bitter-or-sweet-it-is-nothing-but-memory/) [Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb/) > [Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/sweet-is-the-memory-of-distant-friends-like-the-mellow-rays-of-the/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Sweet Memory! wafted by thy gentle gale, Oft up the stream of Time I turn my sail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rogers/sweet-memory-wafted-by-thy-gentle-gale-oft-up-the-stream-of-time-i/) [Samuel Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rogers/) > [True love never dies, even if you have found a new love, the sweet memory of the past will continue to hunt you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-love-never-dies-even-if-you-have-found-a-new-love-the-sweet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sweet memory, wafted by the gentle gale, Oft up the stream of Time I turn my sail, To view the fairy haunts of long-lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rogers/sweet-memory-wafted-by-the-gentle-gale-oft-up-the-stream-of-time-i/) [Samuel Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rogers/) > [Sweet is the memory of past troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/sweet-is-the-memory-of-past-troubles/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [All the times these arms were my only refuge from the world. Perhaps not fully appreciated then, but so sweet in my memory, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/all-the-times-these-arms-were-my-only-refuge-from-the-world-perhaps/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“She is dancing. Away. From you now. She was just a wish. She was just. A. Wish. And her memory is all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleetwood-mac/she-is-dancing-away-from-you-now-she-was-just-a-wish-she-was-just-a/) Fleetwood Mac > [“I believe my strength has something to do with memory, with that concept of fluid time. For while I recall with clarity the terror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-slater/i-believe-my-strength-has-something-to-do-with-memory-with-that/) [Lauren Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-slater/) > [“See, as much as you want to hold on to the bitter sore memory that someone has left this world, you are still in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/see-as-much-as-you-want-to-hold-on-to-the-bitter-sore-memory-that/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by William Cowper > [And hast thou sworn on every slight pretence, Till perjuries are common as bad pence, While thousands, careless of the damning sin, Kiss the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/and-hast-thou-sworn-on-every-slight-pretence-till-perjuries-are/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [No wild enthusiast could rest, till half the world like him was possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/no-wild-enthusiast-could-rest-till-half-the-world-like-him-was/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Admirals extolled for standing still, or doing nothing with a deal of skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/admirals-extolled-for-standing-still-or-doing-nothing-with-a-deal-of/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“The good we never miss we rarely prize”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-good-we-never-miss-we-rarely-prize/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Thus happiness depends, as nature shows, less on exterior things than most suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/thus-happiness-depends-as-nature-shows-less-on-exterior-things-than/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Stamps God's own name upon a lie just made, To turn a penny in the way of trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/stamps-god-s-own-name-upon-a-lie-just-made-to-turn-a-penny-in-the-way/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But oars alone can ne'er prevail To reach the distant coast; The breath of Heaven must swell the sail, Or all the toil is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-oars-alone-can-ne-er-prevail-to-reach-the-distant-coast-the/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“Nature is but a name for an effect whose cause is God"...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/nature-is-but-a-name-for-an-effect-whose-cause-is-god/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But conversation, choose what theme we may, And chiefly when religion leads the way, Should flow, like waters after summer show'rs, Not as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-conversation-choose-what-theme-we-may-and-chiefly-when-religion/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Remorse, the fatal egg that pleasure laid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/remorse-the-fatal-egg-that-pleasure-laid/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“When we don't pray, we quit the fight. Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright. And Satan trembles when he sees. The weakest saint upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/when-we-don-t-pray-we-quit-the-fight-prayer-keeps-the-christian-s/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But animated nature sweeter still, to soothe and satisfy the human ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-animated-nature-sweeter-still-to-soothe-and-satisfy-the-human-ear/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [A fretful temper will divide the closest knot that may be tied, by ceaseless sharp corrosion; a temper passionate and fierce may suddenly your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/a-fretful-temper-will-divide-the-closest-knot-that-may-be-tied-by/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Ten thousand casks, Forever dribbling out their base contents, Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state, Bleed gold for ministers to sport away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/ten-thousand-casks-forever-dribbling-out-their-base-contents-touch-d/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The art of poetry is to touch the passions, and its duty to lead them on the side of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-art-of-poetry-is-to-touch-the-passions-and-its-duty-to-lead-them/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) [Explore all 371 William Cowper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## More Enjoy quotes > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [The Fringe is by far my favorite time of year; I like everything about it. But there are people I know who are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/the-fringe-is-by-far-my-favorite-time-of-year-i-like-everything-about/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [The Germans will make a few scattered attacks, then go away. The Romans will enjoy a fine September.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-badoglio/the-germans-will-make-a-few-scattered-attacks-then-go-away-the-romans/) Pietro Badoglio > [I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua/i-don-t-enjoy-killing-but-when-done-righteously-it-s-just-a-chore/) [Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [I don't own a yacht or a flashy car. I've always had safe cars because I do so much driving. I don't think I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-don-t-own-a-yacht-or-a-flashy-car-i-ve-always-had-safe-cars-because/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I really enjoy hosting, not necessarily because it provides more airtime, but because it allows me to be a part of more substantive discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-really-enjoy-hosting-not-necessarily-because-it-provides-more/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) Browse all 13,068 Enjoy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Cowper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-sweet-their-memory-still-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enjoy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-sweet-their-memory-still-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/william-cowper-779_enjoy_what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-s_2341971.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The…” — William Cowper", "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": "William Cowper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd!...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-sweet-their-memory-still-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/what-peaceful-hours-i-once-enjoy-d-how-sweet-their-memory-still-but/#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 } } ] } ```