Creatures Quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson
“We are self-uncertain creatures, and we may Yea, even when we know not, mix our spites And private hates with our defence of Heaven.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "The Angel of the West" by Alfred Lord Tennyson, 1842
Human nature mixes personal grudges with lofty ideals, often defending moral causes while harboring hidden resentment.
In simple terms: People hide spite behind noble causes.
Key Takeaway
Examine motives behind your convictions.
Themes
human nature
morality
self‑deception
Mood
reflective
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
literary
When to use this quote
- political rhetoric
- religious discourse
- personal relationships
- activism
Key Concepts
psychology
ethical conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal bias might you be disguising as virtue?
- How do hidden resentments affect your moral judgments?
A Different Perspective
Noble ideals can mask selfish intentions.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
