SOME
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WORLD
Dictionaries define the world as the
earth, with all its countries, peoples and natural features.
This definition mentions no thoughts
about the world. The English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
does. According to him:
All the world’s a stage
And
all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and
entrances;
And one man in his time
plays many parts,
His acts being seven
ages.
Here man is an actor. He thinks about
the world according to his profession. In fact, the thoughts of each man are the
product of his professional activities.
The
Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) says: This world is a
dream within a dream; and as we grow older, each step is an awakening. The
youth awakes, as he thinks, from childhood; the full grown man despises the pursuits
of youth as visionary; and the old man looks on manhood a feverish dream. Death the last sleep? No ! it is the last and final awakening.
The English courtier , orator and wit
Philip Dormer Stanhope (1694-1773) said: I have run the silly rounds of
pleasure, and have done with them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the
world, which is in truth very low; those who have only seen their outside
always ornate them, but I have been behind the scenes, I have seen all the
coarse pulleys and dirty ropes which move the gaudy machines, and I have seen
and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decoration, to the
astonishment and admiration of the ignorant audience. When I reflect on what I
have seen, what I have heard , and what I have done, I can hardly persuade
myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle of pleasure in the world had
any reality; but I look upon all that is passed as one of those romantic dreams
which opium openly occasions, and I do
by no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose.
To
conclude, have a look at this quote: The world is seldom what it seems; to man,
who dimly sees, realities appear as dreams, and dreams realities. -----Thomas
Moore, Irish poet (1779-1852).
********
G.R.Kanwal
5th April 2025
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