My days among the Dead are past; Around me I behold, Where'er these casual eyes are cast, The mighty minds of old; My never-failing friends are they, With whom I converse day by day.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker finds companionship and vitality through reading the works of great thinkers from the past.
- In plain terms
- Reading old books makes the speaker feel less alone and more alive.
- What can you take from it?
- Books connect us to great minds across time.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who are your mentors through books?
Another view
It assumes the reader has access to these great minds.
More from Robert Southey
The laws are with us, and God on our side.
Permalink to quote #10 Yet leaving here a name, I trust, That will not perish in the dust.
Permalink to quote #12 Where Washington hath left His awful memory A light for after times!
Permalink to quote #9
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