--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the sun itself, however beneficent…" description: "\"But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was less kind to Coketown than hard frost, and rarely looked intently into any of its closer regions..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg" --- # But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was… ![“But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was less kind to Coketown than hard frost, and rarely looked intently into any of its closer regions without engendering more death than life. So does the eye of Heaven itself become an evil eye, when incapable or sordid hands are interposed…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg) > “But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was less kind to Coketown than hard frost, and rarely looked intently into any of its closer regions without engendering more death than life. So does the eye of Heaven itself become an evil eye, when incapable or sordid hands are interposed between it and the thing it looks upon to bless.” [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. Divine favor can be turned harmful when human corruption blocks its benevolent intent. **In simple terms:** Blessings become curses when people interfere. Key Takeaway Guard against corruption that twists good intentions. Themes morality corruption divine humanity Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - social reform - environmental stewardship - personal integrity - leadership decisions Key Concepts theodicy ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure good intentions remain untainted? - What safeguards prevent well-meaning actions from causing damage? A Different Perspective Even pure intentions can cause harm if intermediaries are immoral. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bless/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-eye/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Eye Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-heaven-252638/) [Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frost/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-evil-252637/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Sun Beneficent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-beneficent-252639/) ## Related quotes > [Nelson Mandela ,May the tear's , that fall from my eye's , find you in heaven !. It's the best complement , that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-natorious-rabb/nelson-mandela-may-the-tear-s-that-fall-from-my-eye-s-find-you-in/) [Napoleon Natorious Rabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-natorious-rabb/) > [May the tear's , that fall from my eye's , find you in heaven !. It's the best complement , that my heart can say in the matter !!.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-natorious-rabb/may-the-tear-s-that-fall-from-my-eye-s-find-you-in-heaven-it-s-the/) [Napoleon Natorious Rabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-natorious-rabb/) > [I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin's; my good is given to me by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-live-in-sin-to-kill-myself-i-live-no-longer-my-life-my-own-but-sin/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [God won't let me into heaven because I'm too evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-spector/god-won-t-let-me-into-heaven-because-i-m-too-evil/) [Phil Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-spector/) > [“Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/even-the-blind-men-s-dogs-appeared-to-know-him-and-when-they-saw-him/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-as-a-good-time-a-kind-forgiving/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Bless the bright eyes of your sex! They never see, whether for good or bad, more than one side of any question; and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/bless-the-bright-eyes-of-your-sex-they-never-see-whether-for-good-or/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I'm awful dull, but I hope I've beat out something nigh the rights of this at last. And so GOD bless you, dear old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-m-awful-dull-but-i-hope-i-ve-beat-out-something-nigh-the-rights-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [God bless us, every one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/god-bless-us-every-one/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I was named for my grandmother. It's an evil-eye name, to protect you from bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stana-katic/i-was-named-for-my-grandmother-it-s-an-evil-eye-name-to-protect-you/) [Stana Katic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stana-katic/) > [A deep man believes that the evil eye can whither, the heart's blessing can heal, and that love can overcome all odds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-deep-man-believes-that-the-evil-eye-can-whither-the-heart-s/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In New York, we tip everyone. We tip doormen, we tip cab drivers, and we tip bartenders at the bar. You'll get quite an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/in-new-york-we-tip-everyone-we-tip-doormen-we-tip-cab-drivers-and-we/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I'm not certain, but I have a little gypsy blood in me. And my mother always told me that her grandma could give someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-raimi/i-m-not-certain-but-i-have-a-little-gypsy-blood-in-me-and-my-mother/) [Sam Raimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-raimi/) > [ “Although she never went to the synagogue...Grandma \[Lausch\], all the same, burned a candle on the anniversary of Mr. Lausch's death, threw a lump… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/although-she-never-went-to-the-synagogue-grandma-lausch-all-the-same/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“How was it possible that the most honourable man she knew should be so overwhelmed by foul and baseless rumours? It made you suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/how-was-it-possible-that-the-most-honourable-man-she-knew-should-be/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) ## 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 Bless quotes > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [The word of the Lord is this: "Just bless those that persecute you and ask for Justice, for the battle does not belong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-loren/the-word-of-the-lord-is-this-just-bless-those-that-persecute-you-and/) [Julia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-loren/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [May god bless u](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette/may-god-bless-u/) [Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette/) > [SCIENCE! thou fair effusive ray From the great source of mental Day, Free, generous, and refin'd! Descend with all thy treasures fraught, Illumine each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/science-thou-fair-effusive-ray-from-the-great-source-of-mental-day/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [When we lack integrity, we use power to control. When we lead with integrity, we use power to bless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/when-we-lack-integrity-we-use-power-to-control-when-we-lead-with/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [“Be quick to bless but lazy to curse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bamikole/be-quick-to-bless-but-lazy-to-curse/) [Paul Bamikole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bamikole/) > [The pious farmer, who ne'er misses pray'rs, With patience suffers unexpected rain; He blesses Heav'n for what its bounty spares, And sees, resign'd, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/the-pious-farmer-who-ne-er-misses-pray-rs-with-patience-suffers/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [May God bless you and your family today and always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-god-bless-you-and-your-family-today-and-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I bless the gods for not letting my education in rhetoric, poetry, and other literary studies come easily to me, and thereby sparing me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-bless-the-gods-for-not-letting-my-education-in-rhetoric-poetry-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“ I'm here to bless not to impress”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-m-here-to-bless-not-to-impress/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [How many people you bless is how you measure success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/how-many-people-you-bless-is-how-you-measure-success/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) [Browse all 1,218 Bless quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bless/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was less kind to Coketown than hard frost, and rarely looked intently into any of its closer regions without engendering more death than life. So does the eye of Heaven itself become an evil eye, when incapable or sordid hands are interposed between it and the thing it looks upon to bless.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-generally-was-less-kind-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bless" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-generally-was-less-kind-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/charles-dickens-34_bless_but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-ge_1619596.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the sun itself, however beneficent, generally, was less kind to Coketown than hard frost, and rarely…” — 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 the sun itself, however beneficent,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-generally-was-less-kind-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-the-sun-itself-however-beneficent-generally-was-less-kind-to/#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 } } ] } ```