Ah, happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay, but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- We think the world is happy because joy is visible, but sorrow hides from view.
- In plain terms
- Hidden sadness makes the world seem happier.
- What can you take from it?
- Visible joy often masks hidden pain.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What do you miss when you look?
- How hidden is your sorrow?
Another view
Simplifies complex emotions into visible versus hidden.
More from Herman Melville
Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.
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