In a room at the end of the garden to this house was a magnificent rocking-horse, which a friend had given my little boy; and Lord Byron, with a childish glee becoming a poet, would ride upon it. Ah! why did he ever ride his Pegasus to less advantage?
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Lord Byron, as a child, enjoyed riding a gifted rocking-horse, but later he missed the chance to use his poetic talent more effectively.
- In plain terms
- He played on a toy horse instead of using his poetry to its full potential.
- What can you take from it?
- Don't waste early gifts on trivial pursuits.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What early passions might be distracting you from your main goals?
- How can you redirect youthful energy into lasting work?
Another view
The metaphor may overstate the impact of a single childhood toy on a poet's legacy.
More from Lord Byron
From the poetry of Lord Byron they drew a system of ethics, compounded of misanthropy and voluptuousness, a system in which the two great commandments were, to…
Permalink to quote #131 What helps it now, that Byron bore, With haughty scorn which mocked the smart, Through Europe to the Aetolian shore The pageant of his bleeding heart? That tho…
Permalink to quote #133 Lord Byron is great only as a poet; as soon as he reflects, he is a child.
Permalink to quote #130
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