--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were, I doubt not, happy enough in…" description: "\"They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls, because they were horses, and had plenty to eat; and I was at times quite happy enough in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png" --- # They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls… ![“They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls, because they were horses, and had plenty to eat; and I was at times quite happy enough in the dark loft, because I was a man, and could think and imagine.” quote by Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png) > “They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls, because they were horses, and had plenty to eat; and I was at times quite happy enough in the dark loft, because I was a man, and could think and imagine.” [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in darkness, both animals and humans can find contentment through basic needs and imagination. **In simple terms:** Simple needs and imagination bring happiness even in bleak places. Key Takeaway Cultivate basic needs and imagination for contentment. Themes contentment imagination survival Mood thoughtful hopeful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - prison life - remote work - creative retreats - minimalist living Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What simple needs sustain you? - How does imagination help in hardship? A Different Perspective Imagination may not replace social connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) ## Related quotes > [I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-can-see-and-that-is-why-i-can-be-happy-in-what-you-call-the-dark/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Do you know what thing is best about serials?? you will feel happy throughout...only if you are on the dark (evil) side. Try now..!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-deshpande/do-you-know-what-thing-is-best-about-serials-you-will-feel-happy/) Nikhil Deshpande > [“I always thought I was happy being the dark star to your supernova.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-always-thought-i-was-happy-being-the-dark-star-to-your-supernova/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Drummond’s character, she was quite happy with this”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jann-rowland/drummond-s-character-she-was-quite-happy-with-this/) [Jann Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jann-rowland/) > [As much as most of the actors were kind of curious to know what their character meant in relation to the script and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/as-much-as-most-of-the-actors-were-kind-of-curious-to-know-what-their/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [I'm quite happy being famous for what I do but I'm not happy about being famous for the sake of being famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/i-m-quite-happy-being-famous-for-what-i-do-but-i-m-not-happy-about/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [A lot of people want to make films and do photography and things, but I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-barrett/a-lot-of-people-want-to-make-films-and-do-photography-and-things-but/) [Syd Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-barrett/) > [I never think, 'Where am I going to be in a year's time?' That seems to be a sure way of missing the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-never-think-where-am-i-going-to-be-in-a-year-s-time-that-seems-to/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [“And no doubt you’re quite happy for her to slave away at the cooker, wash the nappies, get no sleep for nights on end”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/and-no-doubt-you-re-quite-happy-for-her-to-slave-away-at-the-cooker/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [My stock answer when people ask 'Are you Britain's Barack Obama?' is 'I'm quite happy being Streatham's Chuka Umunna,' and I really mean that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/my-stock-answer-when-people-ask-are-you-britain-s-barack-obama-is-i-m/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I mean, I’m quite happy. I’m happy in all aspects of my life. I'm very happy in all aspects of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-mean-i-m-quite-happy-i-m-happy-in-all-aspects-of-my-life-i-m-very/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [“I could indeed have a pleasant life in this castle, and I’m quite happy to be here.” “You are pleased to be here?” “Quite,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-savage/i-could-indeed-have-a-pleasant-life-in-this-castle-and-i-m-quite/) [Vivienne Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-savage/) > [I am quite happy that the Beatles came and went. There is even a sort of glory in not having it go on forever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/i-am-quite-happy-that-the-beatles-came-and-went-there-is-even-a-sort/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [I'm quite an optimist, quite happy in life, quite smiley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-hawkins/i-m-quite-an-optimist-quite-happy-in-life-quite-smiley/) [Sally Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-hawkins/) > [I'm quite a happy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-comer/i-m-quite-a-happy-person/) [Jodie Comer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-comer/) ## More by Hugh Miller > [The six thousand years of human history form but a portion of the geologic day that is passing over us: they do not extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-six-thousand-years-of-human-history-form-but-a-portion-of-the/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [It is an excellent circumstance that hospitality grows best where it is most needed. In the thick of men it dwindles and disappears, life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/it-is-an-excellent-circumstance-that-hospitality-grows-best-where-it/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [But should we continue to linger amid a scene so featureless and wild, or venture adown some yawning opening into the abyss beneath, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/but-should-we-continue-to-linger-amid-a-scene-so-featureless-and-wild/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Save for thee and thy lessons, man in society would everywhere sink into a sad compound of the fiend and the wild beast; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/save-for-thee-and-thy-lessons-man-in-society-would-everywhere-sink/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [The primary rocks, ... I regard as the deposits of a period in which the earth's crust had sufficiently cooled down to permit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-primary-rocks-i-regard-as-the-deposits-of-a-period-in-which-the/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [It is an excellent circumstance that hospitality grows best where it is most needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/it-is-an-excellent-circumstance-that-hospitality-grows-best-where-it-2/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Life itself is a school, and Nature always a fresh study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/life-itself-is-a-school-and-nature-always-a-fresh-study/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Donald had reached its further edge, and could hear the rush of the stream from the deep obscurity of the abyss below, when there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/donald-had-reached-its-further-edge-and-could-hear-the-rush-of-the/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [The geologist, in those tables of stone which form his records, finds no examples of dynasties once passed away again returning. There has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-geologist-in-those-tables-of-stone-which-form-his-records-finds/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [But, in truth, the existing premises, wholly altered by geologic science, are no longer those of Hume. The footprint on the sand — to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/but-in-truth-the-existing-premises-wholly-altered-by-geologic-science/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Prayer is so mighty an instrument that no one ever thoroughly mastered all its keys. They sweep along the infinite scale of man's wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/prayer-is-so-mighty-an-instrument-that-no-one-ever-thoroughly/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [But the advice was not taken - Johnstone did emigrate to Canada, and did mortgage his pension; and I fear - though I failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/but-the-advice-was-not-taken-johnstone-did-emigrate-to-canada-and-did/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [The footprint of the savage traced in the sand is sufficient to attest the presence of man to the atheist who will not recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-footprint-of-the-savage-traced-in-the-sand-is-sufficient-to/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [The development doctrines are doing much harm on both sides of the Atlantic, especially among intelligent mechanics, and a class of young men engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-development-doctrines-are-doing-much-harm-on-both-sides-of-the/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Their humble dwellings were of their own rearing; it was they themselves who had broken in their little fields; from time immemorial, far beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/their-humble-dwellings-were-of-their-own-rearing-it-was-they/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) [Explore all 25 Hugh Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) ## More Dark quotes > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) > [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/) [Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/) [Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what do you call/that space between the dark geographies of sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethaway/what-do-you-call-that-space-between-the-dark-geographies-of-sex/) Natasha Trethaway > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Even in the dark your shadow is like a guide to me! you are my rising sun that brings forth hope just as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/even-in-the-dark-your-shadow-is-like-a-guide-to-me-you-are-my-rising/) [Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/) [Browse all 10,198 Dark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls, because they were horses, and had plenty to eat; and I was at times quite happy enough in the dark loft, because I was a man, and could think and imagine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hugh Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-their-dark-stalls-because-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dark" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-their-dark-stalls-because-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/hugh-miller-24107_dark_they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-th_176522.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They were, I doubt not, happy enough in their dark stalls, because they were horses, and had plenty to eat…” — Hugh Miller", "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": "Hugh Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They were, I doubt not, happy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-their-dark-stalls-because-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/they-were-i-doubt-not-happy-enough-in-their-dark-stalls-because-they/#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 } } ] } ```