Here is nature once more at her old game of…
““Here is nature once more at her old game of self-preservation. This train of thought, she perceives, is threatening mere waste of energy, even some collision with reality, for who will ever be able to lift a finger against Whitaker’s Table of Precedency? The Archbishop of Canterbury is followed by the Lord High Chancellor; the Lord High Chancellor is followed by the Archbishop of York. Everybody follows somebody, such is the philosophy of Whitaker; and the great thing is to know who follows whom. Whitaker knows, and let that, so Nature counsels, comfort you, instead of enraging you; and if you can’t be comforted, if you must shatter this hour of peace, think of the mark on the wall. 11 I understand Nature’s game—her prompting to take action as a way of ending any thought that threatens to excite or to pain. Hence, I suppose, comes our slight contempt for men of action—men, we assume, who don’t think. Still, there’s no harm in putting a full stop to one’s disagreeable thoughts by looking at a mark on the wall.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Nature’s instinct to preserve itself drives actions that end disruptive thoughts, urging us to recognize hierarchies and find comfort in simple symbols.
In simple terms: Nature pushes us to act, ending troubling thoughts, using symbols for comfort.
Key Takeaway
Recognize patterns, seek simple comforts.
Themes
nature
action
hierarchy
comfort
thoughts
Mood
contemplative
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- mental health
- decision making
Key Concepts
self‑preservation
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you identify your own “Whitaker’s Table” of influence?
- What simple symbol brings you peace?
A Different Perspective
Relying on symbols may avoid deeper analysis of underlying issues.