Book Three:
The Oxford Book of Death
by
D. J. Enright
Personally, books of quotes are one of my passions so I was ecstatic to find that I had a book of quotes as a text book. I will try to post entire quotes, however, many are so long the it would be unreasonable to publish them in their entirety; I will, however, dispatch every effort to post excerpts from some of my particular favorites so that others may enjoy them.
"In this way the instinct came into being: the instinct to return to the inanimate state."
~Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
This quote I found appealing because of its blunt interpretation of the obvious and, well, its Sigmund Freud. It simply establishes that the moment that we come into existence, we are drawn by something in the very fiber of our being to return to nonexistence or rather death.
"O' little Cloud,' the virgin said, 'I charge thee tell to me
Why thou complainst not, when in one hour thou fad'st away:
Then we shall seek thee, but not find. Ah! Thel is like to thee---
I pass away; yet I complain, and no one hears my voice."
~William Blake (1757-1827)
The cloud then replies that he, upon passing, will proceed on to a greater existence and during his life he accomplished his purpose to feed the flowers. The maiden, at the conclusion of this reasoning, continues to whine that she has no purpose and will fade away being only food for worms. Here is the clouds response:
"The cloud reclined upon his airy throne, and answered thus:
'Then if thou art food of worms, O virgin of the skies,
How great thy use, how great thy blessing! Everything that lives
Lives not alone, nor for itself...."
~" "
Dispite the morbidity of this quote it efficently professes that we all have a purpose in life and/or in death. This quote also encourages me to want to make something of my life so that worms are not the only things that benefit from me.
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