O suffering, sad humanity! O ye afflicted ones, who lie Steeped to the lips in misery, Longing, yet afraid to die, Patient, though sorely tried!
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
The greatest firmness is the greatest mercy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True strength lies in showing mercy and compassion.
This quote suggests that the most profound expression of strength is not through force or rigidity, but through compassion and understanding. It emphasizes the idea that to be truly firm in one's beliefs or principles often requires the ability to show mercy to others, recognizing their humanity and the complexities of their situations.
Themes
FirmnessMercyStrengthCompassionWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about conflict resolution.
More from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All quotes βThere are moments in life, when the heart is so full of emotion That if by chance it be shaken, or into its depths like a pebble Drops some careless word, it overflows, and its secret, Spilt on the ground like water, can never be gathered together.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
To be seventy years old is like climbing the Alps. You reach a snow-crowned summit, and see behind you the deep valley stretching miles and miles away, and before you other summits higher and whiter, which you may have strength to climb, or may not. Then you sit down and meditate and wonder which it will be.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
God is not dead; nor doth He sleep; ... _x000D_ The wrong shall fail,_x000D_ The right prevail,_x000D_ With peace on earth, good will to men.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Similar quotes
No wisdom that she may gain by experience and reflection hereafter, will compensate the loss of her present hilarity.
William CowperRead
Fortunately, problems are an everyday part of our life. Consider this: If there were no problems, most of us would be unemployed.
Zig ZiglarRead
Appreciation has become my destiny in life. Perhaps it's the instinct of a polar bear enjoying hibernation in the vast snows.
Liu XiaoboRead
To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
William ShakespeareRead
The faster you can get your ideas in contact with the real world, the faster you can discover what is broken with your idea.
Astro TellerRead
The best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn't one.
Margaret AtwoodRead