“The basic stimulus to the intelligence is doubt, a feeling that the meaning of an experience is not self-evident.”

— W. H. Auden, Forewords and Afterwords (1973)

About W. H. Auden

1907 – 1973

Anglo-American poet, author of "September 1, 1939".

“We must love one another or die.”

“O let not Time deceive you, you cannot conquer Time.”

“Money is the necessity that frees us from necessity.”

“I could give you no advice but this: to go into yourself and to explore the depths where your life wells forth.”

“It is a general popular error to suppose the loudest complainers for the publick to be the most anxious for its welfare.”

“Believe those who seek the truth, doubt those who find it; doubt all, but do not doubt yourself.”

“Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.”

“I can state from my own experience that what people fear in death is the loneliness of having to leave this world forever.”

“Freedom to learn is the first necessity of guaranteeing that man himself shall be self-reliant enough to be free.”