Quote by C.S. Lewis

What is vital and healthy does not necessarily survive... An art, a whole civilization, may at any time slip through men's fingers in a very few years and be gone beyond recovery. If we are alive when such a thing is happening we shall hardly notice it until too late; and it is most unlikely that we shall know its causes.

What is vital and healthy does not necessarily survive... An

Summary

This quote suggests that what is considered important and flourishing in society does not always endure. It highlights the vulnerability of art and civilizations and how they can disappear rapidly and irrevocably. The statement emphasizes that if we are present during this demise, we might not even realize it until it is too late. Additionally, it states that figuring out the reasons behind such occurrences is highly improbable. Overall, the quote serves as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of cultural achievements and how they can be lost without awareness or understanding.

Topics

Literary Criticism

By C.S. Lewis

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