# Quotes about loss - Quotes: 16 - Authors: 9 - Broader topic: [Quotes about death](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss ## Quotes > One always abandons something in retreat. Look at Napoleon at the Beresina! He abandoned his whole army. [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [Down and Out in Paris and London](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/down-and-out-in-paris-and-london.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/down-and-out-in-paris-and-london/one-always-abandons.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > 'What happens to people that love each other?' > > 'I suppose they have whatever they have and they are more fortunate than others. Then one of them gets the emptiness for ever.' [Ernest Hemingway](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway.md) · [Across the River and into the Trees](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/across-the-river-and-into-the-trees.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/across-the-river-and-into-the-trees/what-happens-to-people.md) Topics: [love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > Life isn't hard to manage when you've nothing to lose. [Ernest Hemingway](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway.md) · [A Farewell to Arms](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/a-farewell-to-arms.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/a-farewell-to-arms/life-isnt-hard.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > There is no lonelier man in death, except the suicide, than that man who has lived many years with a good wife and then outlived her. If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it. [Ernest Hemingway](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway.md) · [Death in the Afternoon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/death-in-the-afternoon.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernest-hemingway/death-in-the-afternoon/there-is-no-lonelier.md) Topics: [love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love.md), [loneliness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loneliness.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > He remembered his wife's even goodness during thirty years. Not anything in detail — not courtship or early raptures —but just the unvarying virtue, that seemed to him a woman's noblest quality. So many women are capricious, breaking into odd flaws of passion or frivolity. Not so his wife. Year after year, summer and winter, as bride and mother, she had been the same, he had always trusted her. Her tenderness! Her innocence! The wonderful innocence that was hers by the gift of God. Ruth knew no more of worldly wickedness and wisdom than did the flowers in her garden, or the grass in her field. Her idea of business — "Henry, why do people who have enough money try to get more money?" Her idea of politics — "I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars," Her idea of religion — ah, this had been a cloud, but a cloud that passed. She came of Quaker stock, and he and his family, formerly Dissenters, were now members of the Church of England. The rector's sermons had at first repelled her, and she had expressed a desire for "a more inward light," adding, "not so much for myself as for baby" (Charles). Inward light must have been granted, for he heard no complaints in later years. They brought up their three children without dispute. They had never disputed. She lay under the earth now. She had gone, and as if to make her going the more bitter, had gone with a touch of mystery that was all unlike her. [E.M. Forster](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster.md) · [Howards End](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/howards-end.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/howards-end/he-remembered-his.md) Topics: [marriage](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/marriage.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > O fairest of creation! last and best > > Of all God's works! creature in whom excelled > > Whatever can to sight or thought be formed, > > Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet! > > How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost, > > Defaced, deflowered, and now to Death devote? [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/o-fairest-of-creation.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > Some natural tears they dropp'd, but wip'd them soon; > > The world was all before them, where to choose > > Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: > > They hand in hand with wand'ring steps and slow > > Through Eden took their solitary way. [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/some-natural-tears.md) Topics: [the future](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-future.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > Must I thus leave thee, Paradise?—thus leave > > Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades? [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/must-i-thus.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > Thus with the year > > Seasons return; but not to me returns > > Day, or the sweet approach of ev'n or morn, > > Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, > > Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine; > > But cloud instead, and ever-during dark > > Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men > > Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair > > Presented with a universal blank > > Of Nature's works to me expunged and razed, > > And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out. [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/thus-with-the.md) Topics: [suffering](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/suffering.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > They looking back, all th' Eastern side beheld > > Of Paradise, so late thir happie seat, > > Wav'd over by that flaming Brand, the Gate > > With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes: > > Som natural tears they drop'd, but wip'd them soon; > > The World was all before them, where to choose > > Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide: > > They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow, > > Through EDEN took thir solitarie way. [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/they-looking-back.md) Topics: [the future](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-future.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > Farewell happy fields, > > Where joy forever dwells: hail, horrors! [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/farewell-happy-fields.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > To me, however, death is merely death, and a person who was alive is gone, and although sorrow and loneliness may devour you as a result, it should not be put on public display, any more than it must. I realize that this is not a popular view and will not prevail. [Isaac Asimov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov.md) · [I, Asimov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/i-asimov.md) · p. 329 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/i-asimov/to-me-however.md) Topics: [death](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death.md), [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > All explorers are seeking something they have lost. It is seldom that they find it, and more seldom still that the attainment brings them greater happiness than the quest. [Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke.md) · [The City And The Stars](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke/the-city-and-the-stars.md) · p. 174 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke/the-city-and-the-stars/all-explorers-are.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > That night when he went back to his hotel, he wept for his dead children and all the other castrated boys, for his own lost youth, for those who were young no longer and those who died young, for those who fought for Salvador Allende and those who were too scared to fight. [Roberto Bolaño](https://www.leafyquotes.com/roberto-bolano.md) · [Last Evenings On Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/roberto-bolano/last-evenings-on-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/roberto-bolano/last-evenings-on-earth/that-night-when.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > I hope the dogs don't bark tonight. I always think it's mine. [Albert Camus](https://www.leafyquotes.com/albert-camus.md) · [The Stranger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/albert-camus/the-stranger.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/albert-camus/the-stranger/i-hope-the.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md) > "If you hear my voice — I don't know that it is so, but I hope it is — if you hear in my voice any resemblance to a voice that once was sweet music in your ears, weep for it, weep for it! If you touch, in touching my hair, anything that recalls a beloved head that lay on your breast when you were young and free, weep for it, weep for it! If, when I hint to you of a Home that is before us, where I will be true to you with all my duty and with all my faithful service, I bring back the remembrance of a home long desolate, while your poor heart pined away, weep for it, weep for it!" [Charles Dickens](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens.md) · [A Tale of Two Cities](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/a-tale-of-two-cities.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/a-tale-of-two-cities/if-you-hear.md) Topics: [loss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loss.md), [memory](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/memory.md)