--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could see he was nervous; at least, I…" description: "\"“I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could, but then it struck me how little I know of him, or of Topaz or Rose or anyone in the world, r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png" --- # I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could… ![“I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could, but then it struck me how little I know of him, or of Topaz or Rose or anyone in the world, really, except myself.” quote by Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png) > ““I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could, but then it struck me how little I know of him, or of Topaz or Rose or anyone in the world, really, except myself.”” [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator realizes their limited understanding of others, recognizing self‑knowledge as the only certainty. **In simple terms:** We know ourselves better than anyone else. Key Takeaway Acknowledge your own perspective. Themes self‑awareness humility perception Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - first‑time encounters - self‑reflection Key Concepts identity knowledge limits empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you deepen understanding of others? - What does knowing yourself enable? A Different Perspective Assumes others are unknowable, which may hinder connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervousness/) ## Related quotes > [I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be when I started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-barry/i-wasn-t-as-nervous-as-i-thought-i-would-be-when-i-started/) [Todd Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-barry/) > [I used to really want to go on the stage and then the last couple of years I've done some presenting at some award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bosworth/i-used-to-really-want-to-go-on-the-stage-and-then-the-last-couple-of/) [Kate Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bosworth/) > [“A sudden thought struck me. Wouldn't it be odd if my mother got old! ... It is only natural that when your children are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-daly/a-sudden-thought-struck-me-wouldn-t-it-be-odd-if-my-mother-got-old-it/) [Maureen Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-daly/) > [There were times . . . when it occurred to me that I was repeating my mother's life. Usually this thought struck me as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/there-were-times-when-it-occurred-to-me-that-i-was-repeating-my/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“There is more to stuttering than the mere repetition of words and phrases. And more to anxiety than just being nervous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-is-more-to-stuttering-than-the-mere-repetition-of-words-and/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [“Relax; the world's not watching that closely. It's too busy contemplating itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/relax-the-world-s-not-watching-that-closely-it-s-too-busy/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Nervousness kill us... because we think we have only one opportunity that is in the Present and we don't think about the future! We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-roy/nervousness-kill-us-because-we-think-we-have-only-one-opportunity/) [Vikram Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-roy/) > [“Limbic consonance is the little-known process through which the mood of a room changes when a happy or nervous person walks in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/limbic-consonance-is-the-little-known-process-through-which-the-mood/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Sometimes I dance for concentration. I dance to release my nervousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinsuke-nakamura/sometimes-i-dance-for-concentration-i-dance-to-release-my-nervousness/) [Shinsuke Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinsuke-nakamura/) > [For order represents our fear and nervousness. We create ordered interiors as a protest over the passing of things, to define our mortal lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-diamant/for-order-represents-our-fear-and-nervousness-we-create-ordered/) Gertrude Diamant > [There were so many emotions on 'Idol' with nervousness and pressure, but in good ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-barrett/there-were-so-many-emotions-on-idol-with-nervousness-and-pressure-but/) [Gabby Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-barrett/) > [In the nineteeth century, knitting was prescribed to women as a cure for nervousness and hysteria. Many new knitters find this sort of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/in-the-nineteeth-century-knitting-was-prescribed-to-women-as-a-cure/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [The psychological condition of fear is divorced from any concrete and true immediate danger. It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, nervousness, tension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-psychological-condition-of-fear-is-divorced-from-any-concrete-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [In boxing, I had a lot of fear. Fear was good. But, for the first time, in the bout with Muhammad Ali, I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/in-boxing-i-had-a-lot-of-fear-fear-was-good-but-for-the-first-time-in/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) ## More by Dodie Smith > [“I glanced through another page in case I had missed something, and came to the description of Simon's face as he lay on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-glanced-through-another-page-in-case-i-had-missed-something-and/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [They call them the haunted shores, these stretches of Devonshire and Cornwall and Ireland which rear up against the westward ocean. Mists gather here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/they-call-them-the-haunted-shores-these-stretches-of-devonshire-and/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“Now, paper and pencils," said Miss Marcy, clapping her hands. Writing paper is scarce in this house, and I had no intention of tearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/now-paper-and-pencils-said-miss-marcy-clapping-her-hands-writing/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [It's odd how different a house feels when one is alone in it. It makes it easier to think rather private thoughts...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/it-s-odd-how-different-a-house-feels-when-one-is-alone-in-it-it-makes/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [The tea was a comfort - and by that time I more than needed comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/the-tea-was-a-comfort-and-by-that-time-i-more-than-needed-comfort/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [Like many other much-loved humans, they believed that they owned their dogs, instead of realizing that their dogs owned them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/like-many-other-much-loved-humans-they-believed-that-they-owned-their/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“And I suspect that, to the eyes of love, love shows. I knew about you as well as about myself, almost from the beginning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/and-i-suspect-that-to-the-eyes-of-love-love-shows-i-knew-about-you-as/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“The thought was horrible, yet fascinating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/the-thought-was-horrible-yet-fascinating/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“What I'd really hate would be the settled feeling, with nothing but happiness to look forward to. Of course no life is perfectly happy-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/what-i-d-really-hate-would-be-the-settled-feeling-with-nothing-but/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [Truthfulness so often goes with ruthlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/truthfulness-so-often-goes-with-ruthlessness/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [Am I really admitting that my sister is determined to marry a man she has only seen once and doesn't much like the look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/am-i-really-admitting-that-my-sister-is-determined-to-marry-a-man-she/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“There are some people who always find beauty makes them feel sadder, which is a very mysterious thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/there-are-some-people-who-always-find-beauty-makes-them-feel-sadder/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“You're the kind of child who might develop a passion for Bach." I told him I hadn't at school. The one Bach piece I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/you-re-the-kind-of-child-who-might-develop-a-passion-for-bach-i-told/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [When things mean a very great deal to you, exciting anticipation just isn't safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/when-things-mean-a-very-great-deal-to-you-exciting-anticipation-just/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [I could marry the Devil himself if he had some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-could-marry-the-devil-himself-if-he-had-some-money/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) [Explore all 211 Dodie Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) ## More Nervous quotes > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [My first big show was with Tim McGraw and Mark Chesnutt, and that was overwhelming. There was probably 25,000 people there. I was nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/my-first-big-show-was-with-tim-mcgraw-and-mark-chesnutt-and-that-was/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [“And it made me nervous, because I'm the kind of person who should be kept away from romance, the way certain people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-foster/and-it-made-me-nervous-because-i-m-the-kind-of-person-who-should-be/) Ken Foster > [To be polite to everybody except the people they love most is a nervous affectation that afflicts many families ... when they come home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/to-be-polite-to-everybody-except-the-people-they-love-most-is-a/) Margaret Fishback > [One time I was hanging out with a girl and I wanted to kiss her. I was too nervous to do it, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/one-time-i-was-hanging-out-with-a-girl-and-i-wanted-to-kiss-her-i-was/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [Be very nervous of the shaky hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-rule/be-very-nervous-of-the-shaky-hands/) [Ja Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-rule/) > [When it comes to having a central nervous system, and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a rat is a pig is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/when-it-comes-to-having-a-central-nervous-system-and-the-ability-to/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I always pack too much, but I'm just nervous I'll forget something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cambage/i-always-pack-too-much-but-i-m-just-nervous-i-ll-forget-something/) [Liz Cambage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cambage/) > [ I glanced at Radu. "What, exactly is Louis-Cesare's problem?'. \[..\] Suddenly a speculative gleam lit his eyes. It made me nervous. 'He tends to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/i-glanced-at-radu-what-exactly-is-louis-cesare-s-problem-suddenly-a/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [I think I'm prone to panic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-think-i-m-prone-to-panic/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [When Mom had her first nervous breakdown, she said she had a vision of Christ coming to her in the living room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spalding-gray/when-mom-had-her-first-nervous-breakdown-she-said-she-had-a-vision-of/) [Spalding Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spalding-gray/) > [That's one of the reasons I wanted to be an actor, to be like them. And there they were at my table, all talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-macleod/that-s-one-of-the-reasons-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-to-be-like-them-and/) [Gavin MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-macleod/) [Browse all 2,659 Nervous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could, but then it struck me how little I know of him, or of Topaz or Rose or anyone in the world, really, except myself.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dodie Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-thought-i-could-but-then-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nervous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-thought-i-could-but-then-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/dodie-smith-1724_nervous_i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-th_674367.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I could see he was nervous; at least, I thought I could, but then it struck me how little I know of him, or…” — Dodie Smith", "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": "Dodie Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I could see he was nervous;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-thought-i-could-but-then-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-could-see-he-was-nervous-at-least-i-thought-i-could-but-then-it/#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 } } ] } ```