"How many of us are able to distinguish between the odors of noon and midnight, or of winter and summer, or of a windy spell and a still one? If man is so generally less happy in the cities than in the country, it is because all these variations and nuances of sight and smell and sound are less clearly marked and lost in the general monotony of gray walls and cement pavements."

4 likes

Source: Lin Yutang (2013). “Lin Yutang - The Importance Of Living”, p.74, Read Books Ltd

About the author

Lin Yutang

Writer

Lin Yutang was a Chinese writer and philosopher known for his works that blend Eastern and Western thought, particularly in 'The Importance of Living'.

All quotes by Lin Yutang →

Same author

More quotes by Lin Yutang

See all →
Lin Yutang Writer

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."

Read quote
Lin Yutang Writer

"On the whole, the enjoyment of leisure is something which decidedly costs less than the enjoyment of luxury. All it requires is an artistic temperament which is bent on seeking a perfectly useless afternoon spent in a perfectly useless manner."

Read quote