Who knows whether the best of men be known? or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgot, than any that stand remembered in the known account of time? without the favour of the everlasting Register the first man had been as unknown as the last, and Methusaleh's long life had been his only Chronicle.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Many worthy people are forgotten while others are remembered for no good reason.
- In plain terms
- We don't know if the best people are known or forgotten.
- What can you take from it?
- Human recognition of excellence is largely accidental.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who are the forgotten best?
Another view
Some fields systematically preserve merit better than others.
More from Sir Thomas Browne
But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy, and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. Who can but pity the fo…
Permalink to quote #46 Oblivion is not to be hired: The greater part must be content to be as though they had not been, to be found in the Register of God, not in the record of man.
Permalink to quote #48 To be nameless in worthy deeds exceeds an infamous history.
Permalink to quote #45
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