Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no need of change.
H. G. WellsRead
I came out for exercise, gentle exercise, and to notice the scenery and to botanise. And no sooner do I get on that accursed machine than off I go hammer and tongs; I never look to right or left, never notice a flower, never see a view - get hot, juicy, red - like a grilled chop. Get me on that machine and I have to go. I go scorching along the road, and cursing aloud at myself for doing it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the struggle between the desire for leisurely enjoyment of nature and the compulsive drive for speed and productivity.
H. G. Wells captures a common human experience where the intention to engage in a peaceful, nature-infused activity is undermined by the distractions of modern life and our own internal pressures. The imagery of riding a machine highlights how we often become so consumed by goals and tasks that we neglect to appreciate the beauty around us, ultimately leading to frustration as we miss the simple pleasures nature offers.
Themes
ExerciseNatureBeautySceneryMachineProductivity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a nature walk to remind participants to slow down and appreciate their surroundings.
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All quotes →He spares no resource in telling of his dead inventions... Bare verbs he rarely tolerates. He splits infinitives and fills them up with adverbial stuffing. He presses the passing colloquialism into his service. His vast paragraphis sweat and struggle; the
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The greatest task of democracy, its ritual and feast - is choice.
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