--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in…" description: "\"It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature, that, when the heart is touched and softened by some tranquil happiness or affectionate feeling, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/charles-dickens-34_affectionate_it-is-an-exquisite-and-beautiful-thing-i_2761998.jpg" --- # It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature… ![“It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature, that, when the heart is touched and softened by some tranquil happiness or affectionate feeling, the memory of the dead comes over it most powerfully and irresistibly. It would seem almost as though our better thoughts and sympathies were…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/charles-dickens-34_affectionate_it-is-an-exquisite-and-beautiful-thing-i_2761998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/charles-dickens-34_affectionate_it-is-an-exquisite-and-beautiful-thing-i_2761998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/charles-dickens-34_affectionate_it-is-an-exquisite-and-beautiful-thing-i_2761998.jpg) > “It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature, that, when the heart is touched and softened by some tranquil happiness or affectionate feeling, the memory of the dead comes over it most powerfully and irresistibly. It would seem almost as though our better thoughts and sympathies were charms, in virtue of which the soul is enabled to hold some vague and mysterious intercourse with the spirits of those whom we loved in life. Alas! how often and how long may these patient angels hover around us, watching for the spell which is so soon forgotten!” [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. When we feel deep, gentle happiness, memories of loved ones who have died become vivid and compelling, as if our thoughts can connect us with their spirits. **In simple terms:** Tender joy revives memories of the dead. Key Takeaway Cherish moments of gentle happiness. Themes memory grief connection spirituality Mood reflective melancholic hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - mourning - celebrating anniversaries - comforting the bereaved - reflecting on loss Key Concepts nostalgia emotional resonance psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does gentle happiness affect your remembrance of lost loved ones? - Can you find comfort in these memories? A Different Perspective The connection may be more poetic than literal, and grief can also cloud perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affectionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affectionate/) [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-things/) [Charm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intercourse/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Tranquil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquil/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [My father was always in good spirits, he loved football. It makes me a bit sad because if he could enjoy seeing me now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/my-father-was-always-in-good-spirits-he-loved-football-it-makes-me-a/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved persons ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-3/love-is-not-affectionate-feeling-but-a-steady-wish-for-the-loved-2/) [C S Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-3/) > [Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-not-affectionate-feeling-but-a-steady-wish-for-the-loved/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This time, recall being loving, compassionate. It could be loving or compassionate toward a person, a pet, or something else. Any affectionate feeling, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-t-lusk/this-time-recall-being-loving-compassionate-it-could-be-loving-or/) [Julie T. Lusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-t-lusk/) > [When you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linkin-park/when-you-re-feeling-empty-keep-me-in-your-memory/) [Linkin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linkin-park/) > [“Regardless of where many of us believe we land - in that field encumbered by not too much baggage or entirely too much -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/regardless-of-where-many-of-us-believe-we-land-in-that-field/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [When you're feeling empty keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-feeling-empty-keep-me-in-your-memory-leave-out-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all instruments endowed with feeling and memory. Our senses are so many strings that are struck by surrounding objects and that also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/we-are-all-instruments-endowed-with-feeling-and-memory-our-senses-are/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“And when you're feeling empty, keep me memory, and leave out all the rest, leave out all the rest”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linkin-park/and-when-you-re-feeling-empty-keep-me-memory-and-leave-out-all-the/) [Linkin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linkin-park/) > [I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-took-her-hand-in-mine-and-we-went-out-of-the-ruined-place-and-as/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A tranquil summer sunset shone upon him as he approached the end of his walk, and passed through the meadows by the river side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-tranquil-summer-sunset-shone-upon-him-as-he-approached-the-end-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [What good does it do me, after all, if an ever-watchful authority keeps an eye out to ensure that my pleasures will be tranquil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/what-good-does-it-do-me-after-all-if-an-ever-watchful-authority-keeps/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“It was not the power to be tranquil which had failed me, but the reason for tranquility was no more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-was-not-the-power-to-be-tranquil-which-had-failed-me-but-the/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The studious silence of the library ... Thought is the thought of thought. Tranquil brightness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-studious-silence-of-the-library-thought-is-the-thought-of-thought/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [A too closely watched flower/blossoms the wrong color./Excess attention to the jonquil/turns it gentian. Flowers/need it tranquil to get/their hues right. Some/only open at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-too-closely-watched-flower-blossoms-the-wrong-color-excess/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) ## 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 Affectionate quotes > [“Emira realized that Briar probably didn't know how to say good-bye because she never had to do it before. But whether she said good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiley-reid/emira-realized-that-briar-probably-didn-t-know-how-to-say-good-bye/) Kiley Reid > [“She scanned the room, and her grin broadened when she saw Christian. She then sought me out. Her smile for him had been affectionate;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/she-scanned-the-room-and-her-grin-broadened-when-she-saw-christian/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [There never was a tonic that would cure more social ailments than a healthy, happy home. There never was a greater source of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/there-never-was-a-tonic-that-would-cure-more-social-ailments-than-a/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [With no other privilege than that of sympathy and sincere good wishes, I would address an affectionate exhortation to the youthful literati, grounded on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/with-no-other-privilege-than-that-of-sympathy-and-sincere-good-wishes/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [One realizes that human relationships are the tragic necessity of human life; that they can never be wholly satisfactory, that every ego is half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/one-realizes-that-human-relationships-are-the-tragic-necessity-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I can be affectionate about a lot of things without watching them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-can-be-affectionate-about-a-lot-of-things-without-watching-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [ If I do manage to come up with a scheme \[to naming\], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme-to-naming-however-i-stick-to/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [Josh Radnor is that rare thing: a writer-director who thinks like an actor but still knows how to create a comedy with shape and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-gleiberman/josh-radnor-is-that-rare-thing-a-writer-director-who-thinks-like-an/) Owen Gleiberman > [Always when I see a man fond of praise I always think it is because he is an affectionate man craving for affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butler-yeats/always-when-i-see-a-man-fond-of-praise-i-always-think-it-is-because/) Jack Butler Yeats > [I feel that a genuine, affectionate smile is very important in our day-to-day lives. How one creates that smile largely depends on one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-feel-that-a-genuine-affectionate-smile-is-very-important-in-our-day/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Shyama was very good looking and a good human being. She was warm and affectionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waheeda-rehman/shyama-was-very-good-looking-and-a-good-human-being-she-was-warm-and/) [Waheeda Rehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waheeda-rehman/) > [I simply contend that the middle-class ideal which demands that people be affectionate, respectable, honest and content, that they avoid excitements and cultivate serenity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-simply-contend-that-the-middle-class-ideal-which-demands-that/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“I would trust you with my life. I'm betting that something evil would appear pleasing but feel foul." Gregori's glittering silver eyes settled on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/i-would-trust-you-with-my-life-i-m-betting-that-something-evil-would/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) [Browse all 282 Affectionate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affectionate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature, that, when the heart is touched and softened by some tranquil happiness or affectionate feeling, the memory of the dead comes over it most powerfully and irresistibly. It would seem almost as though our better thoughts and sympathies were charms, in virtue of which the soul is enabled to hold some vague and mysterious intercourse with the spirits of those whom we loved in life. 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