Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right, By these we reach divinity
John DonneRead
Love built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True love transcends physical beauty; if love is based solely on appearance, it fades when beauty does.
This quote by John Donne highlights the transient nature of love that hinges solely on physical beauty. It conveys the idea that if a romantic relationship is built solely on superficial attributes, then it is likely to crumble once those attributes fade, suggesting that deeper emotional connections are essential for lasting love.
Themes
LoveBeautyRelationshipsEmotionTransience
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote at a wedding speech to emphasize the importance of deeper connections in marriage.
More from John Donne
All quotes →All occasions invite His mercies, and all times are His seasons.
John DonneRead
If poisonous minerals, and if that tree, Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us, If lecherous goats, if serpents envious Cannot be damned; alas; why should I be?
John DonneRead
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John DonneRead
I call not that virginity a virtue, which resideth onely in the bodies integrity; much less if it be with a purpose of perpetually keeping it: for then it is a most inhumane vice. - But I call that Virginity a virtue which is willing and desirous to yield it self upon honest and lawfull terms, when just reason requireth; and until then, is kept with a modest chastity of body and mind.
John DonneRead
And now good morrow to our waking souls, Which watch not one another out of fear; For love, all love of other sights controls, And makes one little room, an everywhere. Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown, Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.
John DonneRead
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Then Carol slipped her arm under her neck, and all the length of their bodies touched fitting as if something had prearranged it. Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale white flower, shimmering as if seen in darkness, or through water. Why did people talk of heaven, she wondered
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