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Great truths are portions of the soul of man; Great souls are portions of eternity.
James Russell Lowell
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the connection between human truths and the eternal essence of great individuals.

James Russell Lowell suggests that profound truths are deeply embedded in the human spirit, and that individuals who embody these great truths possess a part of something timeless and universal. In essence, he implies that great souls transcend the limitations of their time and contribute to the eternal narrative of human existence.

Themes

TruthsSoulEternityGreatnessHuman Existence

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech about the importance of self-discovery and personal growth.

More from James Russell Lowell

I have always been of the mind that in a democracy manners are the only effective weapons against the bowie-knife.
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The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions.
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Not failure, but low aim, is crime.
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Good luck is the willing handmaid of upright, energetic character, and conscientious observance of duty.
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Puritanism, believing itself quick with the seed of religious liberty, laid, without knowing it, the egg of democracy.
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Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind.
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