--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was nothing of high mark in this…" description: "\"“There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/charles-dickens-34_family_there-was-nothing-of-high-mark-in-this-t_512972.jpg" --- # There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a… ![“There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker’s. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/charles-dickens-34_family_there-was-nothing-of-high-mark-in-this-t_512972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/charles-dickens-34_family_there-was-nothing-of-high-mark-in-this-t_512972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/charles-dickens-34_family_there-was-nothing-of-high-mark-in-this-t_512972.jpg) > ““There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker’s. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit’s torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last.”” [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. Despite material lack, the family finds happiness, gratitude, and contentment, highlighting the value of love and spiritual richness over wealth. **In simple terms:** Even poor families can be happy and grateful. Key Takeaway Value love and gratitude over material wealth. Themes family gratitude spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - holiday gatherings - family meals - community support - personal reflection Key Concepts Christianity social class Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance gratitude with addressing material needs? - What role does community play in fostering contentment? A Different Perspective It may romanticize poverty and overlook systemic hardships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Scrooge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrooge/) [Well dressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-dressed/) ## Related quotes > [Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/scrooge-was-better-than-his-word-he-did-it-all-and-infinitely-more/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. 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Business!' cried the Ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-you-were-always-a-good-man-of-business-jacob-faltered-scrooge-who/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!” Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. “The Spirits of all Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-will-live-in-the-past-the-present-and-the-future-scrooge-repeated/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, 'Christmas among the rest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-are-many-things-from-which-i-might-have-derived-good-by-which-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There's more of gravey than grave about you, whatever you are!" - Scrooge, referring to Marley's ghost which he believes is a hallucination from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-s-more-of-gravey-than-grave-about-you-whatever-you-are-scrooge/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It’s not convenient,” said Scrooge, “and it’s not fair. If I was to stop half-a-crown for it, you’d think yourself ill-used, I’ll be bound?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-s-not-convenient-said-scrooge-and-it-s-not-fair-if-i-was-to-stop/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [it's not my business," Scrooge returned. "It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-s-not-my-business-scrooge-returned-it-s-enough-for-a-man-to/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/bah-said-scrooge-humbug/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/external-heat-and-cold-had-little-influence-on-scrooge-no-warmth/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It put out its strong hand as it spoke, and clasped him gently by the arm. “Rise! and walk with me!”It would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-put-out-its-strong-hand-as-it-spoke-and-clasped-him-gently-by-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure?" "I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-a-humbug-uncle-said-scrooge-s-nephew-you-don-t-mean-that-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## 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. 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