Lord Byron continues to make readers think with these words about language: “But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew, upon a thought, produces that which make thousands, perhaps millions, think.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Lord Byron on Language”
Here’s a quote from the romantic poet Lord Byron about words.
Words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
I just like that notion of a small drop of ink falling like dew, and what a difference that can make.
Yeah, it reminds me a little bit of the butterfly flaps its wing idea in chaos theory.
No, but there are follow-on effects.
Like what is the one word that will hook you to a writer who you will then read all of their stuff and then they will change your mind and then change your life?
It doesn’t take very much to hook you on to something, right?
Right.
I don’t know.
I feel like because they don’t exist in a vacuum.
Somebody has put their words to print, some hundreds of years later, perhaps after they’re dead.
Yes.
Or thousands.
Yes.
You will read them.
Yes, his poem goes on to say that.
And your brain becomes, their brain becomes your brain.
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