Augustine Birrell, Obiter Dicta. Phrase used also by De Quincey, Confessions of an Opium Eater, Part I. Referring to Oxford Street, London.
“
[Milton] calls the university "A stony-hearted step-mother."
— Augustine Birrell on Mothers
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "[Milton] calls the university "A stony-hearted step-mother."" in the context of "Augustine Birrell, Obiter Dicta. Phrase used also by De Quincey, Confessions of an Opium Eater, Part I. Referring to Oxford Street, London." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Mothers" (Quotes, Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 531-32.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell (19 January 1850 – 20 November 1933) was an English essayist, biographer and politician.
About Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell (19 January 1850 – 20 November 1933) was an English essayist, biographer and politician.
View all quotes →