--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To consider the world in its length and…" description: "\"“To consider the world in its length and breadth, its various history, the many races of man, their starts, their fortunes, their mutual alienation, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg" --- # To consider the world in its length and breadth, its… ![“To consider the world in its length and breadth, its various history, the many races of man, their starts, their fortunes, their mutual alienation, their conflicts; and then their ways, habits, governments, forms of worship; their enterprises, their aimless courses, their random achievements, and…” quote by John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg) > ““To consider the world in its length and breadth, its various history, the many races of man, their starts, their fortunes, their mutual alienation, their conflicts; and then their ways, habits, governments, forms of worship; their enterprises, their aimless courses, their random achievements, and acquirements, the impotent conclusion of long-standing facts, the tokens so faint and broken of a superintending design, the blind evolution of what turn out to be great powers or truths, the progress of things, as if from unreasoning elements, not toward final causes, the greatness and littleness of man, his far-reaching aims, his short duration, the curtain hung over his futurity, the disappointments of life, the defeat of good, the success of evil, physical pain, mental anguish, the prevalence of sin, the pervading idolatries, the corruptions, the dreary hopeless irreligion, that condition of the whole race, so fearfully yet exactly described in the Apostle's words, "having no hope and without God in the world," - all this is a vision to dizzy and appall; and inflicts upon the mind the sense of a profound mystery, which is absolutely beyond human solution.”” [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on humanity’s vast, chaotic history and the seeming lack of a guiding purpose, highlighting existential despair and the mystery beyond human comprehension. **In simple terms:** Human history feels random and purposeless, causing existential dread. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and seek meaning beyond apparent chaos. Themes existentialism history meaninglessness human condition philosophy Mood melancholic thoughtful introspective Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - academic study - personal reflection - spiritual contemplation - literary analysis Key Concepts cosmology free will theodicy nihilism Questions to Reflect On - How do you find purpose amid apparent randomness? - Can embracing uncertainty improve resilience? A Different Perspective Human experience often finds patterns where none exist, leading to false certainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apostle Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apostle-words-5280548/) [Conclusion Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion-long-3128764/) [Consider World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-world-420724/) [Hopeless Irreligion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeless-irreligion-5280547/) [Physical pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-pain/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Without god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-god/) [World vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-vision/) ## Related quotes > [I came to the conclusion long ago that all life is six to five against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/i-came-to-the-conclusion-long-ago-that-all-life-is-six-to-five-against/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/there-is-no-reason-not-to-consider-the-world-as-one-gigantic-painting/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [A collection that embraces the whole world allows you to consider the whole world. That is what an institution such as the British Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/a-collection-that-embraces-the-whole-world-allows-you-to-consider-the/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [I don't consider the first-world concerns any less important than the third-world ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/i-don-t-consider-the-first-world-concerns-any-less-important-than-the/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [“Consider the whole world reconnoitre individuals j who is there whose life is not taken up with providing for to morrow Do you ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/consider-the-whole-world-reconnoitre-individuals-j-who-is-there-whose/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [I consider the world, this Earth, to be like a school, and our life the classrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-consider-the-world-this-earth-to-be-like-a-school-and-our-life-the/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/consider-yourself-lightly-consider-the-world-deeply/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“Consider the world we could live in if all of our local and global leaders, if all of our personal and professional friends and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brockman/consider-the-world-we-could-live-in-if-all-of-our-local-and-global/) [John Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brockman/) > [“Consider a world in which cause and effect are erratic. Sometimes the first precedes the second, sometimes the second the first… Each act is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/consider-a-world-in-which-cause-and-effect-are-erratic-sometimes-the-2/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Consider a world in which cause and effect are erratic. Sometimes the first precedes the second, and sometimes the second the first. Or perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/consider-a-world-in-which-cause-and-effect-are-erratic-sometimes-the/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [If you go get a passport, it might encourage you to at least consider the world around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/if-you-go-get-a-passport-it-might-encourage-you-to-at-least-consider/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I consider this world to be like a school and our lives to be the classrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-consider-this-world-to-be-like-a-school-and-our-lives-to-be-the/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“People that consider the world divided in two parts, are attached to the illusion of reality. There are not such thing as two parts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/people-that-consider-the-world-divided-in-two-parts-are-attached-to/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [I do value my work awfully; but in reality only consider this: all this world of ours is nothing but a speck of mildew,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-do-value-my-work-awfully-but-in-reality-only-consider-this-all-this/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Well, what of it? I've not given up thinking of death. It's true that it's high time I was dead; and that all this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/well-what-of-it-i-ve-not-given-up-thinking-of-death-it-s-true-that-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by John Henry Newman > [Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall ever have a beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/fear-not-that-thy-life-shall-come-to-an-end-but-rather-that-it-shall/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [It is not God's way that great blessings should descend without the sacrifice first of great sufferings. If the truth is to be spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/it-is-not-god-s-way-that-great-blessings-should-descend-without-the/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [By a garden is meant mystically a place of spiritual repose, stillness, peace, refreshment, delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/by-a-garden-is-meant-mystically-a-place-of-spiritual-repose-stillness/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/fear-not-that-thy-life-shall-come-to-an-end-but-rather-fear-that-it/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“The minds of young people are pliable and elastic, and easily accommodate themselves to any one they fall in with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/the-minds-of-young-people-are-pliable-and-elastic-and-easily/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/the-love-of-our-private-friends-is-the-only-preparatory-exercise-for/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [A universityeducates the intellect to reason well in all matters, to reach out towards truth, and to grasp it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/a-universityeducates-the-intellect-to-reason-well-in-all-matters-to/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/nothing-would-be-done-at-all-if-one-waited-until-one-could-do-it-so/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Christ is already in that place of peace, which is all in all. He is on the right hand of God. He is hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/christ-is-already-in-that-place-of-peace-which-is-all-in-all-he-is-on/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Growth is the only evidence of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/growth-is-the-only-evidence-of-life/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“Mr Kingsley begins then by exclaiming- 'O the chicanery, the wholesale fraud, the vile hypocrisy, the conscience-killing tyranny of Rome! We have not far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/mr-kingsley-begins-then-by-exclaiming-o-the-chicanery-the-wholesale/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [There is in stillness oft a magic power To calm the breast when struggling passions lower, Touched by its influence, in the soul arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/there-is-in-stillness-oft-a-magic-power-to-calm-the-breast-when/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Dear Lord...shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul...Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/dear-lord-shine-through-me-and-be-so-in-me-that-every-soul-i-come-in/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/it-is-almost-a-definition-of-a-gentleman-to-say-that-he-is-one-who/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [To be deep in history, is to cease to be Protestant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-be-deep-in-history-is-to-cease-to-be-protestant/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) [Explore all 168 John Henry Newman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) ## More Physical pain quotes > [“All he felt was sorrow, as if he’d been abandoned at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. That’s all it was—sorrow. That, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/all-he-felt-was-sorrow-as-if-he-d-been-abandoned-at-the-bottom-of-a/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“You want to know how I see you?' Forster's voice turned husky. Detta's mouth was swollen from grazing his stubble and he couldn't stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-a-kuzniar/you-want-to-know-how-i-see-you-forster-s-voice-turned-husky-detta-s/) [M.A. Kuzniar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-a-kuzniar/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [With every physical pain, my moral fibre unravels a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/with-every-physical-pain-my-moral-fibre-unravels-a-little/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [When love doesn't work, we hurt. Indeed, “hurt feelings” is a precisely accurate phrase, according to psychologist Naomi Eisenberger of the University of California.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-johnson/when-love-doesn-t-work-we-hurt-indeed-hurt-feelings-is-a-precisely/) [Sue Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-johnson/) > [Physical pain is problematic because it's very difficult to transcend that. Sometimes you're just in physical pain, and that's a bummer. Even then, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ebert/physical-pain-is-problematic-because-it-s-very-difficult-to-transcend/) [Alex Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ebert/) > [Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. Physical pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara/pain-nourishes-courage-you-can-t-be-brave-if-you-ve-only-had/) [Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara/) > [“The Lord is not only tender and merciful and full of compassion, but He is also the God of justice, holiness and wrath…Compassion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-lord-is-not-only-tender-and-merciful-and-full-of-compassion-but/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [After the dead are buried, after the physical pain of grief has become a permanent wound in the soul, then comes the transcendent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubus/after-the-dead-are-buried-after-the-physical-pain-of-grief-has-become/) [Andre Dubus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-dubus/) > [“We cut ourselves. Not by accident, we do it purposely, and regularly, because physical pain is comforting, and because now it has become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-stoehr/we-cut-ourselves-not-by-accident-we-do-it-purposely-and-regularly/) [Shelly Stoehr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-stoehr/) > [“I have found that most people are more willing to accept physical pain and limitation rather than acknowledge and deal with the mental and/or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hanson/i-have-found-that-most-people-are-more-willing-to-accept-physical/) [Tobe Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hanson/) > [A study found that music can actually relieve emotional & some physical pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-study-found-that-music-can-actually-relieve-emotional-some-physical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we hit a nail with a hammer the whole of the shock received by the large head of the nail passes into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/when-we-hit-a-nail-with-a-hammer-the-whole-of-the-shock-received-by/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The song "This Is Not Surreal," was inspired by a painter I love, Frida Kahlo. She really did suffer for her art. She speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindi-ortega/the-song-this-is-not-surreal-was-inspired-by-a-painter-i-love-frida/) [Lindi Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindi-ortega/) > [“Nothing in the world was so bad as physical pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/nothing-in-the-world-was-so-bad-as-physical-pain/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) [Browse all 268 Physical pain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-pain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To consider the world in its length and breadth, its various history, the many races of man, their starts, their fortunes, their mutual alienation, their conflicts; and then their ways, habits, governments, forms of worship; their enterprises, their aimless courses, their random achievements, and acquirements, the impotent conclusion of long-standing facts, the tokens so faint and broken of a superintending design, the blind evolution of what turn out to be great powers or truths, the progress of things, as if from unreasoning elements, not toward final causes, the greatness and littleness of man, his far-reaching aims, his short duration, the curtain hung over his futurity, the disappointments of life, the defeat of good, the success of evil, physical pain, mental anguish, the prevalence of sin, the pervading idolatries, the corruptions, the dreary hopeless irreligion, that condition of the whole race, so fearfully yet exactly described in the Apostle's words, \"having no hope and without God in the world,\" - all this is a vision to dizzy and appall; and inflicts upon the mind the sense of a profound mystery, which is absolutely beyond human solution.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Henry Newman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and-breadth-its-various-history/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Physical pain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and-breadth-its-various-history/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/john-henry-newman-2366_physical-pain_to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and_1461360.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To consider the world in its length and breadth, its various history, the many races of man, their starts…” — John Henry Newman", "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": "John Henry Newman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To consider the world in its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and-breadth-its-various-history/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-consider-the-world-in-its-length-and-breadth-its-various-history/#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 } } ] } ```