--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Out yonder they may curse, revile, and…" description: "\"Out yonder they may curse, revile, and torture one another, defile all the human instincts, make a shambles of creation (if it were in their power), bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/henry-miller-179_abiding_out-yonder-they-may-curse-revile-and-tor_836690.jpg" --- # Out yonder they may curse, revile, and torture one… ![“Out yonder they may curse, revile, and torture one another, defile all the human instincts, make a shambles of creation (if it were in their power), but here, no, here, it is unthinkable, here there is abiding peace, the peace of God, and the serene security created by a handful of good neighbors…” quote by Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/henry-miller-179_abiding_out-yonder-they-may-curse-revile-and-tor_836690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/henry-miller-179_abiding_out-yonder-they-may-curse-revile-and-tor_836690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/henry-miller-179_abiding_out-yonder-they-may-curse-revile-and-tor_836690.jpg) > “Out yonder they may curse, revile, and torture one another, defile all the human instincts, make a shambles of creation (if it were in their power), but here, no, here, it is unthinkable, here there is abiding peace, the peace of God, and the serene security created by a handful of good neighbors living at one with the creature world.” [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts human cruelty with the possibility of peaceful coexistence, emphasizing that harmony arises from goodwill among neighbors. **In simple terms:** Peace can exist despite human flaws. Key Takeaway Seek harmony through community. Themes peace human nature community Mood hopeful serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - neighborhood building - conflict resolution - environmental stewardship - ethical living Key Concepts moral philosophy social harmony Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals foster communal peace? - What obstacles hinder universal harmony? A Different Perspective Idealism may ignore systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Good neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-neighbor/) [Good Neighbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-neighbors/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace Of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-of-god/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Serene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serene/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In one line of his poem he said good fences make good neighbors. I'd like to think that Alaska and British Columbia working together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/in-one-line-of-his-poem-he-said-good-fences-make-good-neighbors-i-d/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [When the Soviet Union was dissolved, most of us didn't even have the feeling that the country was falling apart. We thought we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladislav-surkov/when-the-soviet-union-was-dissolved-most-of-us-didn-t-even-have-the/) [Vladislav Surkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladislav-surkov/) > [We seek a peaceful world, a prosperous world, a free world, a world of good neighbors, living on terms of equality and mutual respect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/we-seek-a-peaceful-world-a-prosperous-world-a-free-world-a-world-of/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Good fences make good neighbors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/good-fences-make-good-neighbors/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Good fences make good neighbors, and these were apparently good enough that they had not felt the need for razor wire at the top.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/good-fences-make-good-neighbors-and-these-were-apparently-good-enough/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across And eat the cones under his pines, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/he-is-all-pine-and-i-am-apple-orchard-my-apple-trees-will-never-get/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [If nowhere else, in the relation between Church and State, "good fences make good neighbors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/if-nowhere-else-in-the-relation-between-church-and-state-good-fences/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The happiest people I know are people who don't even think about being happy. They just think about being good neighbors, good people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/the-happiest-people-i-know-are-people-who-don-t-even-think-about/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Find a partner, commit to taking action, and hold each other accountable. Helping our planet is not a one-person or one-country job; we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-grenier/find-a-partner-commit-to-taking-action-and-hold-each-other/) [Adrian Grenier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-grenier/) > [And good neighbors make a huge difference in the quality of life. I agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/and-good-neighbors-make-a-huge-difference-in-the-quality-of-life-i/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You can be a good neighbor only if you have good neighbors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-e-koch/you-can-be-a-good-neighbor-only-if-you-have-good-neighbors/) Howard E. Koch > [Abiding in peace makes us a threat to any storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/abiding-in-peace-makes-us-a-threat-to-any-storm/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [It is not worrying, but rather trusting and abiding in the peace of God that will crush anything that Satan tries to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-joyner/it-is-not-worrying-but-rather-trusting-and-abiding-in-the-peace-of/) [Rick Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-joyner/) > [Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/contentment-is-not-escape-from-the-battle-but-rather-an-abiding-peace/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) ## More by Henry Miller > [“I reached out for something to attach myself to—and I found nothing. But in reaching out, in the effort to grasp, to attach myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-reached-out-for-something-to-attach-myself-to-and-i-found-nothing/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“I saw the errors I had made and assumed full responsibility for everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-saw-the-errors-i-had-made-and-assumed-full-responsibility-for/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The monstrous thing is not that men have created roses out of this dung heap, but that, for some reason or other, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-monstrous-thing-is-not-that-men-have-created-roses-out-of-this/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“(...)I decided to let myself drift with the tide, to make not the least resistance to fate, no matter in what form it presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-decided-to-let-myself-drift-with-the-tide-to-make-not-the-least/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“If it be knowledge or wisdom one is seeking, then one had better go direct to the source. 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The ego dies in its own glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-egocentric-prism-the-helpless-victim-is-walled-in-by-the-very/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“When one spends what he has on himself, when one has a thoroughly good time with his own money, people are apt to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/when-one-spends-what-he-has-on-himself-when-one-has-a-thoroughly-good/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Paint what you like and die happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/paint-what-you-like-and-die-happy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [She may be lying in bed reading a book, she may be making love with a prize fighter, or she may be running like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/she-may-be-lying-in-bed-reading-a-book-she-may-be-making-love-with-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“And no one sets about saving the world unless he has first experienced the miracle of personal salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/and-no-one-sets-about-saving-the-world-unless-he-has-first/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“He looks about the room at the few sticks of furniture, at the dirty bed sheets and the wash basin with the dirty water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/he-looks-about-the-room-at-the-few-sticks-of-furniture-at-the-dirty/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Since then, of course, I have discovered what every madman in Paris discovers sooner of later; that there are no ready made infernos for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/since-then-of-course-i-have-discovered-what-every-madman-in-paris/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Looking back upon my career, I see myself as a person capable of undertaking almost any task, any vocation. It was the monotony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/looking-back-upon-my-career-i-see-myself-as-a-person-capable-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The word in your mouth is anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-word-in-your-mouth-is-anarchy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) [Explore all 894 Henry Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More Abiding quotes > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? We lose consciousness, lose control, things happen with no apparent logic and abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/why-is-it-my-shadow-striding-friend-that-we-don-t-fear-dreams-we-lose/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [I think that there is just a deep and abiding sexism that's part of your life from the moment that you're conscious as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-w-garcia/i-think-that-there-is-just-a-deep-and-abiding-sexism-that-s-part-of/) [Liz W. Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-w-garcia/) > [Faith is the capacity of the soul to perceive the abiding, the invisible in the visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baeck/faith-is-the-capacity-of-the-soul-to-perceive-the-abiding-the/) [Leo Baeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baeck/) > [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [The value of a dollar is to buy just things; a dollar goes on increasing in value with all the genius and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-value-of-a-dollar-is-to-buy-just-things-a-dollar-goes-on/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [After more than two decades of trying to destroy the firearms rights of more than 80 million law-abiding American gun owners - and statistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gottlieb/after-more-than-two-decades-of-trying-to-destroy-the-firearms-rights/) Alan Gottlieb > [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/) [John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/) > [How can we hope to retain our freedom through the generations if we fail to teach our young that our liberty springs from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/how-can-we-hope-to-retain-our-freedom-through-the-generations-if-we/) [Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/) > [Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/love-and-friendship-two-of-life-s-abiding-rewards-are-endangered/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [I sometimes forget that life is fragile. 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