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Wisdom Quote by Matthew Arnold

"Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves"

About this Quote

This thought-provoking quote is attributed to Matthew Arnold, a renowned poet from England. Explore 30 more inspiring quotes by Matthew to discover their perspective on wisdom, life, and more.

Quote Details

TopicWisdom
SourceHelp us find the source
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Arnold, Matthew. (2026, January 28). Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/our-present-time-is-indeed-a-criticizing-and-122520/

Chicago Style
Arnold, Matthew. "Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves." FixQuotes. January 28, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/our-present-time-is-indeed-a-criticizing-and-122520/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves." FixQuotes, 28 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/our-present-time-is-indeed-a-criticizing-and-122520/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe.
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About the Author

Matthew Arnold

Matthew Arnold (December 24, 1822 - April 15, 1888) was a Poet from England.

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