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Swede

(38,898 posts)

18. The world is too much with us; late and soon,

Reply to Stargleamer (Original post)

Sat Feb 14, 2026, 07:31 PM

Saturday

The World Is Too Much With Us

By William Wordsworth
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

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Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Stargleamer kcoates senseandsensibility xocetaceans

24 replies

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Highlight:

WOW--Charles Darwin was at times so disenchanted with other people, himself, life, the world itself. . . [View all] Stargleamer Saturday OP

I just found my kindred spirit. RandySF Saturday #1

A brilliant scientist who truly understood life at multiple levels. Intractable Saturday #2

He is a monumental figure to all of us science-loving types! It's hard to see him as flawed/human. CaliforniaPeggy Saturday #3

Charles Darwin is my Spirt Animal. FalloutShelter Saturday #4

He absolutely hated barnacles! canetoad Saturday #5

I like barnacles and pretty much anything that doesn't infest me or my house. thought crime Saturday #21

Sheepsheads like barnacles and I trust their judgement! dameatball Sunday #24

I wonder if he ever tried a chili dog with cole slaw Mysterian Saturday #6

Interesting. If you go further down the Bluesky account you cite, there is a reference to the origin of those quotes. xocetaceans Saturday #7

Great quote: calimary Saturday #14

Nice choice of an excerpt! That whole archive might yield many such interesting turns of phrase in service of sentiment. xocetaceans Sunday #22

In short, Darwin had just about enough of HMS Beagle. paleotn Saturday #17

i read a book a long time ago mopinko Saturday #8

Well, I certainly have days like that... hlthe2b Saturday #9

I have failed to realize that UpInArms Saturday #10

I am torn between thinking this is funny, incredibly meaningful, or very sad. senseandsensibility Saturday #11

Ditto. And so well said. I would not have been able to express KPN Saturday #13

That's kind of you to say. senseandsensibility Saturday #16

He really realized how stupid people actually are. twodogsbarking Saturday #12

As George Carlin said, you take the average guy, you must realise that half the world is stupider than him. Swede Saturday #19

Many of those below the bar feel they are smart. That adds to the drama. twodogsbarking Sunday #23

Not to worry, Charles We have the movie "Melania" chouchou Saturday #15

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Swede Saturday #18

Charles Darwin held deep scientific contempt for Louis Agassiz, and Agassiz hated Darwin Brother Buzz Saturday #20