quote · Legacy record
"What is the real good?" I asked, in musing mood. "Order," said the court; "Knowledge," said the school, "Truth," said the wise man, "Pleasure," said the fool, "Love," said the maiden, "Beauty," said the page, "Freedom," said the dreamer, "Home," said the sage; "Fame," said the soldier, "Equity," said the seer. Spake my heart full sadly— "The answer is not here." Then within my bosom Softly this I heard: "Each heart holds the secret; Kindness is the word."
"What is the real good?" I asked, in musing mood. "Order," said the court; "Knowledge," said the school, "Truth," said the wise man, "Pleasure," said the fool, "Love," said the maiden, "Beauty," said the page, "Freedom," said the dreamer, "Home," said the sage; "Fame," said the soldier, "Equity," said the seer. Spake my heart full sadly— "The answer is not here." Then within my bosom Softly this I heard: "Each heart holds the secret; Kindness is the word."
In print by 1911 AD · modern
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Meaning not yet available
An individual explanation has not yet been added. We do not substitute a generic description for an interpretation of these particular words.
Begin with source-checked readings and explanations ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- John Boyle O'Reilly
Attribution: attributed - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1911 AD · modern
In print by 1911: recorded in The Optimist’s Good Morning (1911). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- The Optimist’s Good Morning (1911) (1911 AD)
Complete signed selection 359; printed byline: John Boyle O'Reilly; Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1911; printed copyright 1907
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.