It put our energies
â
It put our energies to sleep and made visionaries of us
dreamers and indolent...
It is good to begin life poor;
it is good to begin life rich
these are wholesome;
but to begin it prospectively rich!
The man who has not experienced it cannot imagine the curse of it.
â
Meaning
This quote means expecting future wealth without yet possessing it can weaken character by encouraging laziness, fantasy, and passivity. Deferred riches can be a curse.
About Author
Mark Twain
Mark Twain, born Samuel Clemens, was an American author and humorist known for classics like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His quotes often reflect wit, social critique, and human insight. Twain inspires writers, readers, and social thinkers to explore human nature, challenge conventions, and communicate ideas with humor and intelligence.
Related Quotes
â Buy land, they're not making it anymore. â
This quote means land is valuable because it is finite and cannot be produced. Scarcity gives it enduring worth.
â Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand. â
This quote means laughter is one of the strongest forces against pretension, power, and fear. Humor can break what seems invincible.
â Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned. â
This quote means much of education consists in unlearning false assumptions and bad teaching. Growth often begins by discarding what was wrongly learned.