Quote by George Eliot

Even people whose lives have been made various by learning sometimes find it hard to keep a fast hold on their habitual views of life, on their faith in the Invisible - nay, on the sense that their past joys and sorrows are a real experience, when they are suddenly transported to a new land, where the beings around them know nothing of their history, and share none of their ideas - where their mother earth shows another lap, and human life has other forms than those on which their souls have been nourished. Minds that have been unhinged from their old faith and love have perhaps sought this Lethean influence of exile in which the past becomes dreamy because its symbols have all vanished, and the present too is dreamy because it is linked with no memories.

Summary

This quote speaks to the feeling of disorientation and disconnect that individuals may experience when they move to a new place or encounter a drastically different culture or environment. It suggests that even learned and open-minded individuals can struggle to maintain their long-held perspectives and beliefs when surrounded by people who do not share their history or ideas. The quote implies that this dislocation from familiar surroundings and connections can lead to a sense of detachment from one's past experiences, as well as a dreamlike quality to the present, since there are no memories to anchor it.