Quote

One has often wondered whether upon the whole earth there is anything so unintelligent, so unapt to perceive how the world is really going, as an ordinary young Englishman of our upper class.

Matthew Arnold

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Matthew Arnold
Age: 65 †
Born: 1822
Born: December 24
Died: 1888
Died: April 15
Journalist
Literary Critic
Poet
School Inspector
University Teacher
Writer
Laleham
Surrey
Going
Class
Really
Whether
Unintelligent
World
Upon
Englishman
Often
Englishmen
Earth
Upper
Young
Wondered
Anything
Perceive
Whole
Ordinary

More quotes by Matthew Arnold

Image
The world hath failed to impart the joy our youth forebodes failed to fill up the void which in our breasts we bear.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Culture is properly described as the love of perfection it is a study of perfection.
Matthew Arnold
Image
With aching hands and bleeding feet We dig and heap, lay stone on stone We bear the burden and the heat Of the long day, and wish 'twere done. Not till the hours of light return All we have built do we discern.
Matthew Arnold
Image
We, peopling the void air, Make Gods to whom to impute The ills we ought to bear With God and Fate to rail at, suffering easily.
Matthew Arnold
Image
The brave, impetuous heart yields everywhere to the subtle, contriving head.
Matthew Arnold
Image
However, if I shall live to be eighty I shall probably be the only person left in England who reads anything but newspapers and scientific publications.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Grey time-worn marbles Hold the pure Muses. In their cool gallery, By yellow Tiber, They still look fair.
Matthew Arnold
Image
O strong soul, by what shore Tarriest thou now? For that force, Surely, has not been left vain!
Matthew Arnold
Image
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides: But tasks in hours of insight will'd Can be through hours of gloom fulfill'd.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Like driftwood spares which meet and pass Upon the boundless ocean-plain, So on the sea of life, alas! Man nears man, meets, and leaves again.
Matthew Arnold
Image
We do not what we ought What we ought not, we do And lean upon the thought That chance will bring us through But our own acts, for good or ill, are mightier powers.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Religion--that voice of the deepest human experience.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Know, man hath all which Nature hath, but more, And in that more lie all his hopes of good.
Matthew Arnold
Image
The eternal not ourselves that makes for righteousness.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Good poetry does undoubtedly tend to form the soul and character it tends to beget a love of beauty and of truth in alliance together, it suggests, however indirectly, high and noble principles of action, and it inspires the emotion so helpful in making principles operative.
Matthew Arnold
Image
To the Bible men will return and why? Because they cannot do without it.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Alas! is even love too weak To unlock the heart, and let it speak?
Matthew Arnold
Image
Our inequality materializes our upper class, vulgarizes our middle class, brutalizes our lower class.
Matthew Arnold
Image
A wanderer is man from his birth. He was born in a ship On the breast of the river of Time.
Matthew Arnold
Image
Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret.
Matthew Arnold