“ The first years of man must make provision for the last. He that never thinks, never can be wise. ”
Samuel Johnson, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia (1759). copy citation
| Author | Samuel Johnson |
|---|---|
| Source | The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia |
| Topic | wisdom age thought |
| Date | 1759 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/652/652-h/652-h.htm |
Context
“But his young companions had gained so much of his regard by their frankness and courtesy that he could not leave them without warning and remonstrance. «My friends,» said he, «I have seriously considered our manners and our prospects, and find that we have mistaken our own interest. The first years of man must make provision for the last. He that never thinks, never can be wise. Perpetual levity must end in ignorance; and intemperance, though it may fire the spirits for an hour, will make life short or miserable. Let us consider that youth is of no long duration, and that in mature age, when the enchantments of fancy shall cease, and phantoms of delight dance no more about us, we shall have no comforts but the esteem of wise men and the means of doing good.”
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Meaning and analysis
