There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.
H. P. LovecraftRead
There are not many persons who know what wonders are opened to them in the stories and visions of their youth; for when as children we listen and dream, we think but half-formed thoughts, and when as men we try to remember, we are dulled and prosaic with the poison of life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on how the imaginative dreams of childhood can fade into dullness in adulthood.
H. P. Lovecraft emphasizes the contrast between the unbounded wonder and imagination of childhood and the often mundane perspective of adulthood. He suggests that as we grow older, our experiences and responsibilities can dull our ability to recall the vivid dreams and stories that once filled our youthful minds, leading to a loss of the wonderment that characterized our early years.
Themes
YouthWonderImaginationAdultDreams
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity, one might reference Lovecraft's view to inspire the audience to reconnect with their imaginative origins.
More from H. P. Lovecraft
All quotes →I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
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Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places.
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The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.
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No new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace.
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I am, indeed, an absolute materialist so far as actual belief goes; with not a shred of credence in any form of supernaturalism—religion, spiritualism, transcendentalism, metempsychosis, or immortality.
H. P. LovecraftRead
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