Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Excelsior
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The shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice A banner with the strange device, Excelsior!
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Ambition
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice A banner with the strange device, Excelsior!" in the context of "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Excelsior" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Ambition" (Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 20-21.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (27 February 1807 – 24 March 1882) was an American poet and one of the five members of the group known as the Fireside Poets.
About Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (27 February 1807 – 24 March 1882) was an American poet and one of the five members of the group known as the Fireside Poets.
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