If I could put my hand on the north star, would it be as beautiful? The sea is lovely, but when we bathe in it, the beauty forsakes all the near water. For the imagination and senses cannot be gratified at the same time.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Beauty is less striking when approached closely. Imagination and senses cannot both be satisfied at once.
- In plain terms
- Things look more beautiful from far away than close up.
- What can you take from it?
- Sometimes distance helps you appreciate beauty more.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What looks better from afar?
- How do you balance senses and imagination?
Another view
Close contact is sometimes needed for true understanding.
More from Ralph Waldo Emerson
Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but, until they speak to the imagination, not yet beautiful.
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