--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But, in this separation I associate you…" description: "\"But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than harm, le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg" --- # But, in this separation I associate you only with the good… ![“But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may.” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg) > “But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may.” [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker vows to remember only the good in someone, trusting their positive impact despite past harms. **In simple terms:** Remember only the good in someone, trusting their positive impact. Key Takeaway Focus on positive qualities despite flaws. Themes trust forgiveness redemption Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - self‑reflection - healing Key Concepts character assessment moral judgment Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of ignoring negative aspects? - How can balance be achieved? A Different Perspective People may overlook legitimate grievances when idealizing others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) ## Related quotes > [“Estella, to the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/estella-to-the-last-hour-of-my-life-you-cannot-choose-but-remain-part/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will-2/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [As we are, so we associate. The good, by affinity, seek the good; the vile, by affinity, the vile. Thus of their own volition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/as-we-are-so-we-associate-the-good-by-affinity-seek-the-good-the-vile/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [To develop good thoughts and acts, we must live and associate with good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-haight/to-develop-good-thoughts-and-acts-we-must-live-and-associate-with/) [David B. Haight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-haight/) > [Associate yourself with good people...Because its better to be alone than surrounded by bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/associate-yourself-with-good-people-because-its-better-to-be-alone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Perhaps it is impossible for a person who does no good to do no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/perhaps-it-is-impossible-for-a-person-who-does-no-good-to-do-no-harm/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [Government does the least good and the most harm through subsidies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/government-does-the-least-good-and-the-most-harm-through-subsidies/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I will unite with anyone to do good, but with no one to do harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-will-unite-with-anyone-to-do-good-but-with-no-one-to-do-harm/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [You are ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather than harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/you-are-ambitious-which-within-reasonable-bounds-does-good-rather/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [It is possible in medicine, even when you intend to do good, to do harm instead. That is why science thrives on actively encouraging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-possible-in-medicine-even-when-you-intend-to-do-good-to-do-harm/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [If you can do no good, at least do no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-you-can-do-no-good-at-least-do-no-harm/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-proctor/do-that-which-is-good-and-no-harm-shall-come-to-thee/) [John Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-proctor/) > [The SEC does way more good than harm - the last thing I would do is get rid of the SEC...if accounting were thoroughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-sec-does-way-more-good-than-harm-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-get/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I spent the first half of my life making money and the second half of my life giving it away to do the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/i-spent-the-first-half-of-my-life-making-money-and-the-second-half-of/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [On the whole, money does artists much more good than harm. The idea that one benefits from cold water, crusts and debt collectors is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hughes/on-the-whole-money-does-artists-much-more-good-than-harm-the-idea/) [Robert Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hughes/) ## More by Charles Dickens > [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More Distress quotes > [That toil of growing up; The ignominy of boyhood; the distress Of boyhood changing into man; The unfinished man and his pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/that-toil-of-growing-up-the-ignominy-of-boyhood-the-distress-of/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/) [Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/) > [“When children are hurt and in pain psychologically, they don't want to be in distress, so when the situation becomes intolerable, they cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-firestone/when-children-are-hurt-and-in-pain-psychologically-they-don-t-want-to/) [Robert W. Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-w-firestone/) > [Soothing touch, whether it be applied to a ruffled cat, a crying infant, or a frightened child, has a universally recognized power to ameliorate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deane-juhan/soothing-touch-whether-it-be-applied-to-a-ruffled-cat-a-crying-infant/) [Deane Juhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deane-juhan/) > [When we are in distress we pray genuinely, seeking forgiveness, promise to quit all sin & beg for mercy & protection. Why do we then forget?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-are-in-distress-we-pray-genuinely-seeking-forgiveness-promise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Want to talk third wave feminism, you could cite Ariel Levy and the idea that women have internalized male oppression. Going to spring break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/want-to-talk-third-wave-feminism-you-could-cite-ariel-levy-and-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [It was right then and there that she'd realized there was no quota on misery for people, no quantifiable threshold that once reached, got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/it-was-right-then-and-there-that-she-d-realized-there-was-no-quota-on/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/you-pray-in-your-distress-and-in-your-need-would-that-you-might-also/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [This isn't a romance. You're not a damsel in distress and I'm not the handsome prince come to save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cj-roberts/this-isn-t-a-romance-you-re-not-a-damsel-in-distress-and-i-m-not-the/) [CJ Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cj-roberts/) > [“Ivy waved the wet handkerchief, as much as to say, words cannot possibly articulate my profound distress. Then, because Ivy never settled for meaningful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/ivy-waved-the-wet-handkerchief-as-much-as-to-say-words-cannot/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [They have stolen the public lands. They have grasped all to themselves, and by their unprincipled greed brought a crisis of unparalleled distress on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-kearney/they-have-stolen-the-public-lands-they-have-grasped-all-to-themselves/) [Denis Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-kearney/) > [I believe that what so saddens the reformer is not his sympathy with his fellows in distress, but, though he be the holiest son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-what-so-saddens-the-reformer-is-not-his-sympathy-with/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Patience will benefit you in every hour, every time and every opportunity. It helps you to overcome your opponent, howsoever strong he may be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abd-al-karim-qasim/patience-will-benefit-you-in-every-hour-every-time-and-every/) Abd al-Karim Qasim > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Browse all 686 Distress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-only-with-the-good-and-i-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Distress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-only-with-the-good-and-i-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eec/charles-dickens-34_distress_but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-o_1716898.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always…” — Charles Dickens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Dickens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But, in this separation I associate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-only-with-the-good-and-i-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-in-this-separation-i-associate-you-only-with-the-good-and-i-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```