--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I pitied him in his blindness But can I…" description: "\"I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, \"I see?\" Perhaps there walks a spirit Close by, who pities me\" — Harry Kemp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg" --- # I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, "I see?"… ![“I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, "I see?" Perhaps there walks a spirit Close by, who pities me” quote by Harry Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg) > “I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, "I see?" Perhaps there walks a spirit Close by, who pities me” [Harry Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker envies those who can see, wonders if a compassionate spirit watches over them. **In simple terms:** He wishes for insight and feels pity. Key Takeaway Seek empathy and deeper understanding. Themes empathy spirituality vision Mood melancholic contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - grief processing - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts existential longing compassion inner sight Questions to Reflect On - What does true sight mean to you? - How can you find compassion without external validation? A Different Perspective Insight may be unattainable, leading to frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blindness/) [Blindness Boast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blindness-boast-4701480/) [Close Pities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-pities-4701481/) [Pitied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitied/) [Pitied Blindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitied-blindness-4701479/) [Pities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pities-764572/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“God, you’re so hot, Irena. When are we going to get together, have ourselves a litter of little kiggens?” “On the first of never,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-konrath/god-you-re-so-hot-irena-when-are-we-going-to-get-together-have/) [J.A. Konrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-konrath/) > [It is a thousand pities never to say what one feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-a-thousand-pities-never-to-say-what-one-feels/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Because it is a thousand pities never to say what one feels”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/because-it-is-a-thousand-pities-never-to-say-what-one-feels/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't mind being pitied. If you love me, pity me. The human state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-seem-to-be-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-doesn-t-mind-being/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [The coward is an object to be pitied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-coward-is-an-object-to-be-pitied/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“She did not want to be a consolation prize. Be pitied or a distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-did-not-want-to-be-a-consolation-prize-be-pitied-or-a-distraction/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Girls, like men, want to be petted, pitied, and made much of, when they are diffident, in low spirits, or in unrequited love. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/girls-like-men-want-to-be-petted-pitied-and-made-much-of-when-they/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [No one likes to be pitied for his faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/no-one-likes-to-be-pitied-for-his-faults/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [When men take pleasure in feeling their minds elevated with strong drink, and so indulge their appetite as to disorder their understandings, neglect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/when-men-take-pleasure-in-feeling-their-minds-elevated-with-strong/) [John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/) > [ “\[T\]hey are much to be pitied who have not ... been given a taste for Nature in early life. They lose a great deal.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/t-hey-are-much-to-be-pitied-who-have-not-been-given-a-taste-for/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“So he dreams himself the life he cannot have?” “Exactly. But we, who can do anything, we refuse to live our dreams on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/so-he-dreams-himself-the-life-he-cannot-have-exactly-but-we-who-can/) [Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/) > [“People pitied only what they could easily slaughter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-hill/people-pitied-only-what-they-could-easily-slaughter/) [C.J. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-hill/) > [This thought strengthened in me my belief that all men, without exception, deserve to be pitied, if only because they are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-moravia/this-thought-strengthened-in-me-my-belief-that-all-men-without/) [Alberto Moravia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-moravia/) > [If our inward griefs were written on our brows, how many who are envied now would be pitied. It would seem that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/if-our-inward-griefs-were-written-on-our-brows-how-many-who-are/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [If we believe that a person seeking refuge is to be pitied, feared, despised, and looked down upon, we are doing ourselves a disservice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemantine-wamariya/if-we-believe-that-a-person-seeking-refuge-is-to-be-pitied-feared/) [Clemantine Wamariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemantine-wamariya/) ## More by Harry Kemp > [The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/the-poor-man-is-not-he-who-is-without-a-cent-but-he-who-is-without-a/) [Harry Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/) > [And wilt thou sing the shadowy hosts that never march again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/and-wilt-thou-sing-the-shadowy-hosts-that-never-march-again/) [Harry Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/) > [Where the vast cloudless sky was broken by one crow I sat upon a hill - all alone - long ago; But I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/where-the-vast-cloudless-sky-was-broken-by-one-crow-i-sat-upon-a-hill/) [Harry Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/) [Explore all 4 Harry Kemp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/) ## More Blindness quotes > [I guess I was so blinded by who I wanted you to be, that I didn't see who you really were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/i-guess-i-was-so-blinded-by-who-i-wanted-you-to-be-that-i-didn-t-see/) [Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/) > [I will love you till a mute women tells his deaf friend about a blind women that saw a girl with no legs walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-love-you-till-a-mute-women-tells-his-deaf-friend-about-a-blind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [With every rising of the sun Think of your life as just begun. The past has shrived and buried deep All yesterdays— there let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/with-every-rising-of-the-sun-think-of-your-life-as-just-begun-the/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-observation-of-human-blindness-and-weakness-is-the-result-of-all/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Some men make money not for the sake of living, but ache In the blindness of greed and live just for their fortune's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/some-men-make-money-not-for-the-sake-of-living-but-ache-in-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/blindness-separates-us-from-things-but-deafness-separates-us-from/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I give money to Unicef because I like the 'bang for your buck' aspect. Here's $10, go and save 1,000 kids from blindness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-give-money-to-unicef-because-i-like-the-bang-for-your-buck-aspect/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [The recovery of spiritual sight and the healing of physical blindness have much in common. Some of those whose bodily eyes were blind received…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/the-recovery-of-spiritual-sight-and-the-healing-of-physical-blindness/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [The simplest things to see are the things we are most blind to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milliton-munney/the-simplest-things-to-see-are-the-things-we-are-most-blind-to/) [Milliton MUNNEY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milliton-munney/) > [Blackout is the way we feel how the blind people feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/blackout-is-the-way-we-feel-how-the-blind-people-feel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The blindness of the eye in darkness is as life in the absence of true love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brain-emrys/the-blindness-of-the-eye-in-darkness-is-as-life-in-the-absence-of/) [Brain Emrys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brain-emrys/) > [It was a huge deal, a huge musical discovery that became life lessons learned. You can't return from having an experience like that. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/it-was-a-huge-deal-a-huge-musical-discovery-that-became-life-lessons/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) [Browse all 580 Blindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, \"I see?\" Perhaps there walks a spirit Close by, who pities me", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Kemp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i-boast-i-see-perhaps-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blindness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i-boast-i-see-perhaps-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/harry-kemp-72718_blindness_i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i_2991195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I pitied him in his blindness But can I boast, \"I see?\" Perhaps there walks a spirit Close by, who pities me” — Harry Kemp", "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": "Harry Kemp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I pitied him in his blindness...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i-boast-i-see-perhaps-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemp/i-pitied-him-in-his-blindness-but-can-i-boast-i-see-perhaps-there/#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 } } ] } ```