O human beauty, what a dream art thou, that we should cast our life and hopes away on thee!

Bryan Procter’s quote explores the illusion of human beauty and the often misplaced importance people place on it. By calling beauty a dream, Procter highlights its fleeting and ephemeral nature, suggesting that it can easily deceive us into believing it holds greater significance than it truly does. The quote suggests that we may end up wasting our life and hopes chasing after something that is ultimately shallow and transient.

The use of the word "dream" implies that human beauty is an idealized concept—something that exists more in our minds than in reality. It’s a pursuit that can often lead to disappointment because, as dreams do, it fades or proves elusive. Procter seems to be cautioning against the allure of superficial beauty, urging us to focus on deeper, more lasting values rather than a transient, external quality.

At the heart of this quote is a message about the value of inner qualities over outward appearance. Procter invites us to reconsider how much of our time and energy is devoted to seeking or admiring beauty in others, which may be ultimately hollow. Instead, he seems to suggest that we should place our hopes on more enduring aspects of life that contribute to our well-being and happiness.

The origin of this quote can be traced to Procter’s literary works, where he often examined human nature and emotions. Procter, a poet and playwright, was deeply attuned to the transient nature of life and beauty. This particular quote reflects his awareness of how easily people can become consumed by external appearances, ultimately leading them away from what truly matters in life.