Black Quote by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
“What is there so fearful as the expectation of evil tidings delayed? ... Misery is a more welcome visitant when she comes in her darkest guise and wraps us in perpetual black, for then the heart no longer sickens with disappointed hope.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: 1818, to a friend
Fear of delayed bad news can be more terrifying than the news itself; suffering becomes a familiar companion when hope fades.
In simple terms: Delayed bad news feels scarier than the news.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address hidden anxieties.
Themes
fear
hope
suffering
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- health crises
- financial uncertainty
- relationship doubts
- career setbacks
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
anticipation
Questions to Reflect On
- What fears are you postponing?
- How can you cultivate hope amid uncertainty?
A Different Perspective
Hope can be a source of resilience.
![“[T]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by means of volcanoes, those burning mountains that seem to discharge their materials from the lowest abysses of the earth.” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b7d/oliver-goldsmith-772_abyss_t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles_88121.jpg)
