Letter to Fanny Burney, November 12, 1781; Charlotte Barrett (ed.) Diary and Letters of Madame d'Arblay (1854) vol. 2, p. 82.
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A physician can sometimes parry the scythe of death, but has no power over the sand in the hourglass.
— Hester Thrale
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "A physician can sometimes parry the scythe of death, but has no power over the sand in the hourglass." in the context of "Letter to Fanny Burney, November 12, 1781; Charlotte Barrett (ed.) Diary and Letters of Madame d'Arblay (1854) vol. 2, p. 82." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Hester Thrale" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Hester Thrale
Hester Lynch Thrale, nÊe Hester Lynch Salusbury, (January 16, 1741 â May 2, 1821) was a British diarist, author, and patron of the arts, and a friend and biographer of Dr. Johnson. She is often known by her second married name, Hester Lynch Piozzi.
About Hester Thrale
Hester Lynch Thrale, nÊe Hester Lynch Salusbury, (January 16, 1741 â May 2, 1821) was a British diarist, author, and patron of the arts, and a friend and biographer of Dr. Johnson. She is often known by her second married name, Hester Lynch Piozzi.
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