"One impulse from a vernal wood May teach you more of man, Of moral evil and of good, Than all the sages can"
- William Wordsworth
About this Quote
This quote by William Wordsworth speaks with the power of nature to teach us about ourselves and the world around us. He suggests that a single experience in a vernal wood, or a springtime forest, can teach us more about the complexities of humanity than all the knowledge of the sages. He indicates that the natural world can offer us with a deeper understanding of the moral duality of good and wicked, and how they exist on the planet. Wordsworth suggests that nature can supply us with a higher insight into the human condition than any book or lecture. He motivates us to make the effort to observe and value the charm of the natural world, and to gain from it. Nature can provide us with a higher understanding of ourselves and the world around us, and can assist us to make sense of the moral complexities of life.