--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is something like the way dame Nature…" description: "\"It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/bram-stoker-718_body_it-is-something-like-the-way-dame-nature_26081.jpg" --- # It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a… ![“It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. If this be an ordered selfishness, then we should pause before we condemn any one for the vice of egoism, for…” quote by Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/bram-stoker-718_body_it-is-something-like-the-way-dame-nature_26081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/bram-stoker-718_body_it-is-something-like-the-way-dame-nature_26081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/bram-stoker-718_body_it-is-something-like-the-way-dame-nature_26081.jpg) > “It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. If this be an ordered selfishness, then we should pause before we condemn any one for the vice of egoism, for there may be deeper root for its causes than we have knowledge of.” [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage suggests that protective mechanisms—whether biological or psychological—may arise from self‑interest, urging caution before labeling them purely selfish. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest can manifest as protective behavior. Key Takeaway Egoism may have hidden, beneficial origins. Themes Self‑interest Protection Nature Moral judgment Complex causality Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - medical ethics debates - psychological self‑care - environmental conservation - social policy design Key Concepts defensive adaptation ethical relativism Practical Applications - reframing self‑interest as a protective instinct in counseling - informing policy that balances individual incentives with collective safety Questions to Reflect On - When does self‑interest become harmful? - How can we distinguish protective egoism from destructive selfishness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Dames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dames/) [Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeper/) [Egoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egoism/) [Envelopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envelopes/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Insensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insensitive/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ordered Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordered-selfishness-412172/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Selfishness Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-pause-412174/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Tissues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tissues/) [Vice Egoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice-egoism-412173/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“If this be an ordered selfishness, then we should pause before we condemn anyone for the vice of egoism, for there may be deeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/if-this-be-an-ordered-selfishness-then-we-should-pause-before-we/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Every student of comedy should see Dame Edna at least twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/every-student-of-comedy-should-see-dame-edna-at-least-twice/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I've made a wonderful living playing that theatrical character - the professional brassy dame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-merman/i-ve-made-a-wonderful-living-playing-that-theatrical-character-the/) [Ethel Merman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-merman/) > [National Defense A strong USA defense brought down the Soviet Union. It was Ronald Reagan - first in a speech at Notre Dame University…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/national-defense-a-strong-usa-defense-brought-down-the-soviet-union/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [One who can find lemons sweet and grapes sour is ready for Dame Fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/one-who-can-find-lemons-sweet-and-grapes-sour-is-ready-for-dame/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Dame Edna is that rarest sighting in our time of the absolute comic, an inspired personification of caprice whose comedy answered the primal call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/dame-edna-is-that-rarest-sighting-in-our-time-of-the-absolute-comic/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [Dame Poverty gave me my name, And Pain godfathered me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/countee-cullen/dame-poverty-gave-me-my-name-and-pain-godfathered-me/) [Countee Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/countee-cullen/) > [When you look at the dominance of Notre Dame, the love of Mary in almost every European country, psychologically, had to come from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/when-you-look-at-the-dominance-of-notre-dame-the-love-of-mary-in/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I haven't seen the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre. I haven't seen anything. I don't really care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-haven-t-seen-the-eiffel-tower-notre-dame-the-louvre-i-haven-t-seen/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [A few years ago I met an old professor at the University of Notre Dame. Looking back on his long life of teaching, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/a-few-years-ago-i-met-an-old-professor-at-the-university-of-notre/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I find it easier to abstain than do a little bit of anything. I'm not a 'little bit' kind of dame. I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-find-it-easier-to-abstain-than-do-a-little-bit-of-anything-i-m-not/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Growing up under the heavy hand of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, it was drummed into me that attending weekly mass was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/growing-up-under-the-heavy-hand-of-the-school-sisters-of-notre-dame/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [I went to Notre Dame. I don't know if that has any relevance, but maybe we all had a little too much philosophy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mapother/i-went-to-notre-dame-i-don-t-know-if-that-has-any-relevance-but-maybe/) [William Mapother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mapother/) > [You know, a dame with a rod is like a guy with a knitting needle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mainwaring/you-know-a-dame-with-a-rod-is-like-a-guy-with-a-knitting-needle/) [Daniel Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mainwaring/) > [Dames are always pulling a switch on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-andrews/dames-are-always-pulling-a-switch-on-you/) [Dana Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-andrews/) ## More by Bram Stoker > [“I promise." and as I said it I felt that from that instant a door had been shut between us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/i-promise-and-as-i-said-it-i-felt-that-from-that-instant-a-door-had/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Remember my friend, that knowledge is stronger than memory, and we should not trust the weaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/remember-my-friend-that-knowledge-is-stronger-than-memory-and-we/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“He became almost speechless for a minute, and then went on, "Do you know what the place is? Have you seen that awful den…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/he-became-almost-speechless-for-a-minute-and-then-went-on-do-you-know/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“..the world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-world-seems-full-of-good-men-even-if-there-are-monsters-in-it/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Euthanasia" is an excellent and comforting word! I am grateful to whoever invented it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/euthanasia-is-an-excellent-and-comforting-word-i-am-grateful-to/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Our toil must be in silence, and our efforts all in secret; for this enlightened age, when men believe not even what they see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/our-toil-must-be-in-silence-and-our-efforts-all-in-secret-for-this/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“It seems to me that the further East you go the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/it-seems-to-me-that-the-further-east-you-go-the-more-unpunctual-are/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Despair has its own calms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/despair-has-its-own-calms/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“...his open nostril quivered with intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/his-open-nostril-quivered-with-intent/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“And you, their best beloved one, are now to me, flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood; kin of my kin; my bountiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/and-you-their-best-beloved-one-are-now-to-me-flesh-of-my-flesh-blood/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [The only beautiful thing in the world whose beauty lasts for ever is a pure, fair soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-only-beautiful-thing-in-the-world-whose-beauty-lasts-for-ever-is/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“In manus tuas, Domine!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/in-manus-tuas-domine/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“find that the district he named is in the extreme east of the country, just on the borders of three states, Transylvania, Moldavia, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/find-that-the-district-he-named-is-in-the-extreme-east-of-the-country/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [She has man's brain--a brain that a man should have were he much gifted--and woman's heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/she-has-man-s-brain-a-brain-that-a-man-should-have-were-he-much/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“Keep it always with you that laughter who knock at your door and say, 'May I come in?' is not true laughter. No! He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/keep-it-always-with-you-that-laughter-who-knock-at-your-door-and-say/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) [Explore all 354 Bram Stoker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. 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