Quote by William Blake

Commerce is so far from being beneficial to arts, or to empire, that it is destructive of both, as all their history shows, for the above reason of individual merit being its great hatred. Empires flourish till they become commercial, and then they are scattered abroad to the four winds.

Commerce is so far from being beneficial to arts, or to empi

Summary

This quote suggests that commerce, or the pursuit of trade and business, is detrimental to the development of arts and empires. The reason for this is that commerce undermines the recognition of individual talent and merit. The quote claims that throughout history, empires have thrived until they shifted their focus towards commercial activities. At that point, their prosperity diminishes, and they lose influence and power. Therefore, the quote argues that commerce is not beneficial, but rather destructive, to arts and empires.

Topics

Business

By William Blake

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