As it can be maintained that all the great advances have come from men under forty, so the history of the world shows that a very large proportion of the evils may be traced to the sexagenarians, nearly all the great mistakes politically and socially, all of the worst poems, most of the bad pictures, a majority of the bad novels and not a few of the bad sermons and speeches.

Summary

This quote suggests that the significant contributions and advancements in various fields have predominantly come from individuals under the age of forty. In contrast, the quote claims that a substantial portion of social and political setbacks, as well as poor artistic creations, can be attributed to individuals in their sixties. It implies that young innovators are more likely to bring about positive change, while older individuals may be more prone to making mistakes or producing inferior works in various disciplines, including literature, visual arts, and public speaking.

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