After he had gone over the mansion, his entertainer asked him what he thought of the splendours it contained; and he in reply did full justice to the riches of its owner and the skill of its decorators, but he added, 'Lions would have fared better, had lions been the artists.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A visitor praised a mansion but noted it suited lions better than humans.
- In plain terms
- Someone loved a fancy house but said it was more for lions.
- What can you take from it?
- Beauty may not suit everyone; know your place.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What luxuries don't suit you?
- How do you judge beauty?
Another view
Humans can appreciate luxury without rejecting their nature.
More from John Henry Cardinal Newman
Flagrant evils cure themselves by being flagrant.
Permalink to quote #10 Nothing would be done at all, if a man waited till he could do it so well, that no one could find fault with it.
Permalink to quote #12 Ex umbris et imaginibus in vertitatem!
Permalink to quote #9
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