Old age realizes the dreams of youth: look at Dean Swift; in his youth he built an asylum for the insane, in his old age he was himself an inmate.

Summary

This quote exemplifies the irony and inevitability of life. It suggests that as one grows older, their actions and aspirations can come full circle, ultimately affecting them directly. It uses Jonathan Swift, a famous writer, as an example. In his youth, Swift built a sanctuary for the mentally ill, demonstrating his compassion and empathy. However, as he aged, he himself ended up being confined in such an institution, symbolizing how circumstances and situations can change over the course of a lifetime, and how one's past actions can have a profound impact on their own future.