---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If thou remember'st not the slightest…"
description: "\"If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not loved.\" — William Shakespeare"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg"
---

#  If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love…

![“If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not loved.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg)

> “If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not loved.”

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Love’s folly is forgotten unless recalled; without memory, love is unexperienced.

**In simple terms:** Remember love’s mistakes to feel love.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on past love to understand current feelings.

Themes

love memory self‑reflection

Mood

nostalgic thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationship counseling
- personal journaling
- creative writing

Key Concepts

folly remembrance emotional growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What lessons have past loves taught you?
- How does memory shape your current relationships?

A Different Perspective

Dwelling on past errors may hinder new love.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Folly Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly-love-683873/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Run Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-thou-683875/) [Slightest Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slightest-folly-683874/) [Thou Hast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-hast/) [Thou Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-remember-3503391/)

## Related quotes

> [If thou remeber'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not lov'd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-remeber-st-not-the-slightest-folly-that-ever-love-did-make/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“How many actions most ridiculous/Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy? CORIN: Into a thousand that I have forgotten. SILVIUS: O, thou didst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-many-actions-most-ridiculous-hast-thou-been-drawn-to-by-thy/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Then she was alone- with only a wolf for companionship- waiting to tell the next girl what a folly it was to love him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/then-she-was-alone-with-only-a-wolf-for-companionship-waiting-to-tell/)

[Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/)

> [“What an absolute folly love was. Talk about a flawed concept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/what-an-absolute-folly-love-was-talk-about-a-flawed-concept/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [That thou remember them, some claim as debt; I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/that-thou-remember-them-some-claim-as-debt-i-think-it-mercy-if-thou/)

[John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/)

> [“While Nape was making the bread and Dryas boiling the ram, Daphnis and Chloe had time to go forth as far as the ivy-bush;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/longus-longos/while-nape-was-making-the-bread-and-dryas-boiling-the-ram-daphnis-and/)

[Longus (Longos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/longus-longos/)

> [O God, oh! of thine only worthy blood, And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood, And drown in it my sins' black memory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/o-god-oh-of-thine-only-worthy-blood-and-my-tears-make-a-heavenly/)

[John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/)

> [“Their images I loved I view in thee And thou, all they, hast all the all of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/their-images-i-loved-i-view-in-thee-and-thou-all-they-hast-all-the/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Oh, thou did'st then ne'er love so heartily. If thou rememb'rest not the slightest folly That ever love did make thee run inot, Thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/oh-thou-did-st-then-ne-er-love-so-heartily-if-thou-rememb-rest-not/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Can no prayers pierce thee? SHYLOCK: No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/can-no-prayers-pierce-thee-shylock-no-none-that-thou-hast-wit-enough/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Thou hast her, France; let her be thine, for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see That face of hers again. Therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-her-france-let-her-be-thine-for-we-have-no-such-daughter/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Age, thou hast lost thy labor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/age-thou-hast-lost-thy-labor/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Thou - why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-why-thou-wilt-quarrel-with-a-man-that-hath-a-hair-more-or-a-hair/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“The Friends Thou Hast And Their Adoption Tried Grapple Them To Thy Soul With Hooks Of Steel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-friends-thou-hast-and-their-adoption-tried-grapple-them-to-thy-2/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Be thou assured, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breath What thou hast said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-thou-assured-if-words-be-made-of-breath-and-breath-of-life-i-have/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More by William Shakespeare

> [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More Love quotes

> [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [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/)

> [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/)

[Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/)

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/)

[H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/)

> [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/)

[Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/)

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/)

[Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/)

> [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/)

[Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/)

> [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/)

> [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/)

[Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/)

> [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

[Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not loved.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Shakespeare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-folly-that-ever-love-did-make/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Love"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-folly-that-ever-love-did-make/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/william-shakespeare-4_love_if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-fo_725556.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into, thou hast not loved.” — William Shakespeare",
                "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 Shakespeare",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If thou remember'st not the slightest...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-folly-that-ever-love-did-make/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-remember-st-not-the-slightest-folly-that-ever-love-did-make/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
