--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only to two or three persons in all the…" description: "\"Only to two or three persons in all the world are the reminiscences of a man's early youth interesting: to the parent who nursed him; to the fond wife ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg" --- # Only to two or three persons in all the world are the… ![“Only to two or three persons in all the world are the reminiscences of a man's early youth interesting: to the parent who nursed him; to the fond wife or child mayhap afterwards who loves him; to himself always and supremely--whatever may be his actual prosperity or ill fortune, his present age…” quote by William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg) > “Only to two or three persons in all the world are the reminiscences of a man's early youth interesting: to the parent who nursed him; to the fond wife or child mayhap afterwards who loves him; to himself always and supremely--whatever may be his actual prosperity or ill fortune, his present age, illness, difficulties, renown, or disappointments--the dawn of his life still shines brightly for him, the early griefs and delights and attachments remain with him ever faithful and dear.” [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early memories stay vivid for those closest to us, shaping identity regardless of later success or hardship. **In simple terms:** Early memories stay vivid for close ones. Key Takeaway Cherish and reflect on formative experiences. Themes memory family identity reflection Mood nostalgic thoughtful introspective Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career planning - therapy - writing memoirs - family gatherings - teaching history Key Concepts psychology nostalgia developmental parent-child relationships marriage self-reflection Questions to Reflect On - Which early memory still guides you? - How do close relationships influence recollection? A Different Perspective Memories can be idealized, overlooking negative aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Attachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Dear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Early Griefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-griefs-4932934/) [Early Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-youth-678929/) [Faithful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithful/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Reminiscences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminiscences-1664963/) [Reminiscences Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminiscences-man-4932932/) [Renown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renown/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Reminiscences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-reminiscences-4932933/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Reminiscences make one feel so deliciously aged and sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/reminiscences-make-one-feel-so-deliciously-aged-and-sad/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The very young have, properly speaking, no moments. It is the privilege of early youth to live in advance of its days in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-very-young-have-properly-speaking-no-moments-it-is-the-privilege/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [In our early youth we sit before the life that lies ahead of us like children sitting before the curtain in a theatre, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-our-early-youth-we-sit-before-the-life-that-lies-ahead-of-us-like/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [In this respect early youth is exactly like old age; it is a time of waiting for a big trip to an unknown destination.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/in-this-respect-early-youth-is-exactly-like-old-age-it-is-a-time-of/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [Early youth is a baffling time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/early-youth-is-a-baffling-time/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [In early youth, as we contemplate our coming life, we are like children in a theatre before the curtain is raised, sitting there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-early-youth-as-we-contemplate-our-coming-life-we-are-like-children/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Montaigne says somewhere that in early youth the joy of life lies in the feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/montaigne-says-somewhere-that-in-early-youth-the-joy-of-life-lies-in/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [When I recall today my early youth, I should take the boy that I then was, with the exception of a few individual features,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mach/when-i-recall-today-my-early-youth-i-should-take-the-boy-that-i-then/) [Ernst Mach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mach/) > [Men and women whose early youth was shaped in the ordeal of the Great Depression showed the values formed in that crucible when tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buyer/men-and-women-whose-early-youth-was-shaped-in-the-ordeal-of-the-great/) [Steve Buyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buyer/) > [When we look back, the only things we cherish are those which in some way met our original want; the desire which formed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/when-we-look-back-the-only-things-we-cherish-are-those-which-in-some/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The lessons of their early youth regulated the conduct of their riper years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-lessons-of-their-early-youth-regulated-the-conduct-of-their-riper/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [“It has been said that all roads lead to Rome; this may be true, but at any rate, in early youth I am quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/it-has-been-said-that-all-roads-lead-to-rome-this-may-be-true-but-at/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) > [“Early youth is a baffling time. The present moment is nice but it does not last. Living in it is like waiting in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/early-youth-is-a-baffling-time-the-present-moment-is-nice-but-it-does/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [my friends plunged into a borderless sea of reminiscences and personal news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-orne-jewett/my-friends-plunged-into-a-borderless-sea-of-reminiscences-and/) [Sarah Orne Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-orne-jewett/) > [In early youth, as we contemplate our coming life, we are like children in a theatre before the curtain is raised, sitting there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-early-youth-as-we-contemplate-our-coming-life-we-are-like-children-2/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## More by William Makepeace Thackeray > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/it-is-best-to-love-wisely-no-doubt-but-to-love-foolishly-is-better/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/diffidence-is-a-sort-of-false-modesty/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/our-great-thoughts-our-great-affections-the-truths-of-our-life-never/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Charming Alnaschar visions! it is the happy privilege of youth to construct you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/charming-alnaschar-visions-it-is-the-happy-privilege-of-youth-to/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [To see a young couple loving each other is no wonder; but to see an old couple loving each other is the best sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-see-a-young-couple-loving-each-other-is-no-wonder-but-to-see-an/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [An immense percentage of snobs, I believe, is to be found in every rank of this mortal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/an-immense-percentage-of-snobs-i-believe-is-to-be-found-in-every-rank/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Vanity is often the unseen spur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/vanity-is-often-the-unseen-spur/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [A good laugh is sunshine in the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/a-good-laugh-is-sunshine-in-the-house/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Novelty has charms that our minds can hardly withstand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/novelty-has-charms-that-our-minds-can-hardly-withstand/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“Picture to yourself, O fair young reader, a worldly, selfish, graceless, thankless, religionless old woman, writhing in pain and fear, and without her wig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/picture-to-yourself-o-fair-young-reader-a-worldly-selfish-graceless/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Certain opuscules, denominated 'Christmas Books,' with the ostensible intention of swelling the tide of exhilaration, or other expansive emotions, incident upon the exodus of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/certain-opuscules-denominated-christmas-books-with-the-ostensible/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Explore all 384 William Makepeace Thackeray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only to two or three persons in all the world are the reminiscences of a man's early youth interesting: to the parent who nursed him; to the fond wife or child mayhap afterwards who loves him; to himself always and supremely--whatever may be his actual prosperity or ill fortune, his present age, illness, difficulties, renown, or disappointments--the dawn of his life still shines brightly for him, the early griefs and delights and attachments remain with him ever faithful and dear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Makepeace Thackeray" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the-world-are-the-reminiscences/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the-world-are-the-reminiscences/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_age_only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the_3027872.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only to two or three persons in all the world are the reminiscences of a man's early youth interesting: to…” — William Makepeace Thackeray", "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 Makepeace Thackeray", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only to two or three persons...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the-world-are-the-reminiscences/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/only-to-two-or-three-persons-in-all-the-world-are-the-reminiscences/#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 } } ] } ```