Quick answer“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” is a famous quote by Charles Darwin. It comes from Letter to Susan Darwin, 4 August 1836. It is widely quoted on life and motivation.
At twenty-seven, aboard HMS Beagle on its way home, Charles Darwin wrote to his sister Susan that a man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. The line comes from a private letter, not a published book.
Origin: Written by the 27-year-old Darwin in a letter to his sister Susan Elizabeth Darwin on 4 August 1836, while HMS Beagle was on its way home from the voyage round the world. The letter was printed in The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, edited by his son Francis Darwin (1887), vol. 1, p. 266. In full: 'I shall act as I now think — as a man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.' The brief's '(autobiography)' is incorrect: the source is this letter, not the Autobiography.
Key facts
| Quote | “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Darwin |
| Source | Letter to Susan Darwin, 4 August 1836 |
| Themes | life, motivation |
| Language | English |
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