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About this quote

What does it mean?
Time and wakefulness vary across the world, but death wakes us all regardless of the hour.
In plain terms
Sleep is different everywhere, but death wakes everyone.
What can you take from it?
Death ends our sleep regardless of where or when.

Where it applies

  • grief
  • philosophy
  • morning reflection

Putting it to work

  • accept mortality
  • value wakefulness

Questions to consider

  • Does death wake us or just end us?
  • How does time feel different around the world?

Another view

It relies on religious conjecture about universal awakening.

More from Sir Thomas Browne

  1. But the Quincunx of Heaven runs low, and 'tis time to close the five ports of knowledge.

    Permalink to quote #54
  2. To make an end of all things on Earth, and our Planetical System of the World, he (God) need but put out the Sun.

    Permalink to quote #56
  3. Life itself is but the shadow of death, and souls departed but the shadows of the living: All things fall under this name. The Sun itself is but the dark simul…

    Permalink to quote #53

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