Decay Quote by William Johnson Cory
“All beauteous things for which we live By laws of space and time decay. But Oh, the very reason why I clasp them, is because they die.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Unknown, by William Johnson Cory, 19th century
The quote reflects on the fleeting nature of beautiful things, suggesting that their impermanence makes them valuable and worth cherishing.
In simple terms: Beautiful things fade, and that makes us hold them dear.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate moments before they end.
Themes
mortality
beauty
impermanence
appreciation
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- art appreciation
- relationships
- personal growth
- grieving loss
Key Concepts
existentialism
aesthetics
transience
Questions to Reflect On
- How does knowing something will end change how you value it?
- Can impermanence inspire deeper love?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the joy of permanence in ideas or memories.
![“The major problem of our time is the decay in the belief in personal immortality, and it cannot be dealt with while the average human being is either drudging like an ox or shivering in fear of the secret police... How right [the working classes] are to realize that the belly comes before the…” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83e/george-orwell-57_average_the-major-problem-of-our-time-is-the-dec_683396.jpg)
