We have done with Hope and Honour. we are lost to Love and Truth, We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung; And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth. God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
Rudyard KiplingRead
If England was what England seems, _x000D_ An not the England of our dreams, _x000D_ But only putty, brass, an' paint, _x000D_ 'Ow quick we'd chuck 'er! But she ain't!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the gap between the idealized view of a place and its true nature, suggesting that reality often differs from our dreams.
Rudyard Kipling's quote expresses a deep disillusionment with the discrepancy between the idealized version of England and its actual state. It suggests that if England were merely a façade—consisting of superficial qualities like 'putty, brass, and paint'—then people would readily abandon it. However, he asserts that England is indeed more than that, alluding to a deeper, perhaps intrinsic value that prevents disillusionment.
Themes
EnglandIdealismDisillusionmentRealityPerception
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about nationalism and identity at a cultural conference.
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All quotes →Humble because of knowledge; mighty by sacrifice.
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And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden, You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden.
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Savings represent much more than mere money value. They are the proof that the saver is worth something in himself. Any fool can waste; any fool can muddle; but it takes something more of a man to save and the more he saves the more of a man he makes of himself. Waste and extravagance unsettle a man's mind for every crisis; thrift, which means some form of self-restraint, steadies it.
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