--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't think to come over me with th' old…" description: "\"Don't think to come over me with th' old tale, that the rich know nothing of the trials of the poor; I say, if they don't know, they ought to know.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/elizabeth-gaskell-894_ifs_don-t-think-to-come-over-me-with-th-old_3003226.jpg" --- # Don't think to come over me with th' old tale, that the… ![“Don't think to come over me with th' old tale, that the rich know nothing of the trials of the poor; I say, if they don't know, they ought to know.” quote by Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/elizabeth-gaskell-894_ifs_don-t-think-to-come-over-me-with-th-old_3003226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/elizabeth-gaskell-894_ifs_don-t-think-to-come-over-me-with-th-old_3003226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/elizabeth-gaskell-894_ifs_don-t-think-to-come-over-me-with-th-old_3003226.jpg) > “Don't think to come over me with th' old tale, that the rich know nothing of the trials of the poor; I say, if they don't know, they ought to know.” [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The wealthy often ignore the hardships of the poor, yet they should become aware of them. **In simple terms:** Rich people should understand poor people's struggles. Key Takeaway Encourage empathy and awareness of inequality. Themes social justice class empathy Mood concerned reflective Type social political When to use this quote - policy making - community outreach - education - media coverage - corporate responsibility Key Concepts inequality awareness responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can the privileged learn about poor people's real experiences? - What actions can bridge the class divide? A Different Perspective Wealthy may claim ignorance, but systemic barriers limit true understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Know Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-ought-673659/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Old Tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-tale-2391622/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-know-632067/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rich and poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-and-poor/) [Rich Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-know-328265/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Trials Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials-poor-4778202/) ## Related quotes > [When men know not what to do, they ought not to do they know not what](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-men-know-not-what-to-do-they-ought-not-to-do-they-know-not-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/the-man-who-thinks-he-knows-something-does-not-yet-know-as-he-ought/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) > [The ache of empty arms was an old tale to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/the-ache-of-empty-arms-was-an-old-tale-to-you/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [Many people think fairy tales and retellings of fairy tales are only for children, but I'm not the only writer to take an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-forsyth/many-people-think-fairy-tales-and-retellings-of-fairy-tales-are-only/) [Kate Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-forsyth/) > [The old tale of Sleeping Beauty might end happily in French or English, but he was in Russia, and only a fool would want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-old-tale-of-sleeping-beauty-might-end-happily-in-french-or/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Of an old tale which every schoolboy knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-an-old-tale-which-every-schoolboy-knows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['Tis an old tale, and often told; But did my fate and wish agree, Ne'er had been read, in story old, Of maiden true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/tis-an-old-tale-and-often-told-but-did-my-fate-and-wish-agree-ne-er/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“If you have a place to stay , some food on your fridge and someone to talk.. 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H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [In our minds, rich is always the other person, the other family. Rich is having more than you currently have. If that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/in-our-minds-rich-is-always-the-other-person-the-other-family-rich-is/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“My friends don't think they're rich, because they know someone who's richer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/my-friends-don-t-think-they-re-rich-because-they-know-someone-who-s/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) ## More by Elizabeth Gaskell > [“Osborne and Roger knowing that the wife of the former was a Frenchwoman, and, conscious of each other's knowledge, felt doubly awkward; while Molly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/osborne-and-roger-knowing-that-the-wife-of-the-former-was-a/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [But Margaret went less abroad, among machinery and men; saw less of power in its public effect, and, as it happened, she was thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/but-margaret-went-less-abroad-among-machinery-and-men-saw-less-of/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“And besides, in the matter of friendship, I have observed that the disappointment here arises chiefly, not from liking our friends too well, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/and-besides-in-the-matter-of-friendship-i-have-observed-that-the/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [What other people may think of the rightness or wrongness is nothing in comparison to my own deep knowledge, my innate conviction that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/what-other-people-may-think-of-the-rightness-or-wrongness-is-nothing/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“The first question sobbed out by his choking voice, oppressed with emotion, was-- "Where is she?" They led him to the room where his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/the-first-question-sobbed-out-by-his-choking-voice-oppressed-with/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Wearily she went to bed, wearily she arose in four or five hours' time. But with the morning came hope, and a brighter view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/wearily-she-went-to-bed-wearily-she-arose-in-four-or-five-hours-time/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [No one loves me, - no one cares for me, but you, mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/no-one-loves-me-no-one-cares-for-me-but-you-mother/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/i-won-t-say-she-was-silly-but-i-think-one-of-us-was-silly-and-it-wasn/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Mr. Thorton love Margaret! Why, Margraret would never think of him, I'm sure! Such a thing has never entered her head." "Entering her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/mr-thorton-love-margaret-why-margraret-would-never-think-of-him-i-m/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“He never looked at her; and yet, the careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some way he knew exactly where, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/he-never-looked-at-her-and-yet-the-careful-avoidance-of-his-eyes/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“Ay! but mother's words are scarce, and weigh heavy. 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