She is not fair to outward view *As many maidens be; Her loveliness I never knew Until she smiled on me: Oh! then I saw her eye was bright, A well of love, a spring of light.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The poet describes discovering the beloved's inner beauty only after she smiled, revealing love in her eyes.
- In plain terms
- He did not see her beauty until she smiled, when he saw love and light in her eyes.
- What can you take from it?
- Inner beauty is revealed through emotional connection.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What reveals true character?
- Is beauty found or made?
Another view
The sentiment relies on a single moment to define worth.
More from Hartley Coleridge
On this hapless earth There 's small sincerity of mirth, And laughter oft is but an art To drown the outcry of the heart.
Permalink to quote #2 Her very frowns are fairer far Than smiles of other maidens are.
Permalink to quote #4 The soul of man is larger than the sky, Deeper than ocean, or the abysmal dark Of the unfathomed center.
Permalink to quote #1
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