--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How different is the ready hand, tearful…" description: "\"How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is called pity.\" — Jane Porter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg" --- # How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing… ![“How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is called pity.” quote by Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg) > “How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is called pity.” [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The outward display of pity differs from genuine empathy expressed through tears and soothing words. **In simple terms:** Pity’s appearance vs. true compassion. Key Takeaway Seek authentic empathy over showy pity. Themes empathy authenticity appearance Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - interpersonal relationships - conflict resolution - leadership - customer service Key Concepts psychology social perception Questions to Reflect On - What actions show true compassion? - How does superficial pity affect trust? A Different Perspective People may mistake performative sympathy for real care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Soothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soothing/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“Attention received after pleading is called pity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitya-prakash/attention-received-after-pleading-is-called-pity/) [Nitya Prakash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nitya-prakash/) > [I haven't a clue about the biology or the psychology involved when a person dissolves into tears, but it is quite fascinating to note…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-haven-t-a-clue-about-the-biology-or-the-psychology-involved-when-a/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [If your best friend's feeling tearful, Try not to be too cheerful. Just let her fill your ear full Of sad tales by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-schenk-de-regniers/if-your-best-friend-s-feeling-tearful-try-not-to-be-too-cheerful-just/) Beatrice Schenk de Regniers > [“How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/how-useful-it-would-be-to-put-a-daily-limit-on-self-pity-just-a-few-2/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I was an emotional wreck even as a young child, fearful and tearful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/i-was-an-emotional-wreck-even-as-a-young-child-fearful-and-tearful/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I remember watching the Twin Towers collapse. Because it was another country and looked like a film, I just sort of thought, 'Oh.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-walsh/i-remember-watching-the-twin-towers-collapse-because-it-was-another/) [Bradley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-walsh/) > [He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-chanced-a-glance-at-her-she-was-not-tearful-that-was-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A tearful queen was being led”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lin/a-tearful-queen-was-being-led/) [Grace Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lin/) > [I have had my fill of words and tearful farewells,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gannicus/i-have-had-my-fill-of-words-and-tearful-farewells/) [Gannicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gannicus/) > [Let the poets cry themselves to sleep, and all their tearful words will turn back into steam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/let-the-poets-cry-themselves-to-sleep-and-all-their-tearful-words/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [And I never thought this life was possible,You're the yellow bird that I've been waiting for. In polaroids you were dressed in women's clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/and-i-never-thought-this-life-was-possible-you-re-the-yellow-bird/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [For me to think in terms of employing security seems ostentatious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-me-to-think-in-terms-of-employing-security-seems-ostentatious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Moderation is an ostentatious proof of our strength of character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/moderation-is-an-ostentatious-proof-of-our-strength-of-character/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The afrit batted his eyelashes with a ostentatious lack of concern. "Indeed? Have you a name?" "A name?" I cried. "I have MANY names!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-stroud/the-afrit-batted-his-eyelashes-with-a-ostentatious-lack-of-concern/) [Jonathan Stroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-stroud/) > [Critics are always complaining about the materialism of hip-hop and accusing the artists of living way above their means. But this ostentatious sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/critics-are-always-complaining-about-the-materialism-of-hip-hop-and/) [Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/) ## More by Jane Porter > [none are fit judges of greatness but those who are capable of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/none-are-fit-judges-of-greatness-but-those-who-are-capable-of-it/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [It is not designed that the road should be made too smooth for us here upon earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/it-is-not-designed-that-the-road-should-be-made-too-smooth-for-us/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Yet happiness isn't something you chase, it's something you are. It's something you think, it's something you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/yet-happiness-isn-t-something-you-chase-it-s-something-you-are-it-s/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Guilt is a spiritual Rubicon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/guilt-is-a-spiritual-rubicon/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [The mob is a sort of bear; while your ring is through its nose, it will even dance under your cudgel; but should the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/the-mob-is-a-sort-of-bear-while-your-ring-is-through-its-nose-it-will/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Goodness is equally hateful to the wicked, as vice is to the virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/goodness-is-equally-hateful-to-the-wicked-as-vice-is-to-the-virtuous/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [I never yet heard man or woman much abused that I was not inclined to think the better of them, and to transfer the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/i-never-yet-heard-man-or-woman-much-abused-that-i-was-not-inclined-to/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Imparting knowledge is only lighting other men's candles at our lamp without depriving ourselves of any flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/imparting-knowledge-is-only-lighting-other-men-s-candles-at-our-lamp/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Happiness is a sunbeam which may pass through a thousand bosoms without losing a particle of its original ray; nay, when it strikes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/happiness-is-a-sunbeam-which-may-pass-through-a-thousand-bosoms/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [It has been wisely said, "that well may thy guardian angel suffer thee to lose thy locks, when thou darest wilfully to lay thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/it-has-been-wisely-said-that-well-may-thy-guardian-angel-suffer-thee/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [“Don’t. Don’t say you’ve changed your mind. You promised me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/don-t-don-t-say-you-ve-changed-your-mind-you-promised-me/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [“God forgive her, but underneath the smiles and the good job and the great family, she was tired. Desperately tired. Tired to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/god-forgive-her-but-underneath-the-smiles-and-the-good-job-and-the/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [The flatterer easily insinuates himself into the closet, while honest merit stands shivering in the hall or antechamber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/the-flatterer-easily-insinuates-himself-into-the-closet-while-honest/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [Where there is any good disposition, confidence begets faithfulness; but distrust, if it do not produce treachery; never fails to destroy every inclination to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/where-there-is-any-good-disposition-confidence-begets-faithfulness/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [However you disguise slavery, it is slavery still. Its chains, though wreathed with roses, not only fasten on the body but rivet on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/however-you-disguise-slavery-it-is-slavery-still-its-chains-though/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) [Explore all 69 Jane Porter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) ## More Appearance quotes > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/) [Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/) > [We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years - most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-scott-latourette/we-must-however-note-that-what-are-usually-called-the-high-religions/) [Kenneth Scott Latourette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-scott-latourette/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [You can have a nice body, dress with the latest fashion. But if you don't have self-confidence sweetheart, forget about looking sexy, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/you-can-have-a-nice-body-dress-with-the-latest-fashion-but-if-you-don/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are one of many appearances of the thing called Life; we are not its perfect image, for it has no perfect image except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/we-are-one-of-many-appearances-of-the-thing-called-life-we-are-not/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [I'm OK with my appearance. I have made my peace with it after a long and frankly exhausting battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-m-ok-with-my-appearance-i-have-made-my-peace-with-it-after-a-long/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Appearance records are pretty special. Mine means a lot to me, not only because I love stats, but because it shows that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/appearance-records-are-pretty-special-mine-means-a-lot-to-me-not-only/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [Every man would fall in love with their voice, their lovely appearance, but no man would ever get past that. They'd never really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/every-man-would-fall-in-love-with-their-voice-their-lovely-appearance/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I already know what things look like - I don't want description. People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) Browse all 2,446 Appearance quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is called pity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Porter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful-eye-and-soothing-voice-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appearance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful-eye-and-soothing-voice-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/jane-porter-9947_appearance_how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful_726385.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is…” — Jane Porter", "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": "Jane Porter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How different is the ready hand,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful-eye-and-soothing-voice-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful-eye-and-soothing-voice-from/#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 } } ] } ```