--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I should like to know if he has sunk a…" description: "\"“I should like to know if he has sunk a frigate, alone, with a Fleur-de-Nuit on his back; and as for distinction, my ancestors were scholars in China w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/naomi-novik-6809_quote_i-should-like-to-know-if-he-has-sunk-a-f_832392.jpg" --- # I should like to know if he has sunk a frigate, alone… ![“I should like to know if he has sunk a frigate, alone, with a Fleur-de-Nuit on his back; and as for distinction, my ancestors were scholars in China while his were starving in pits.” quote by Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/naomi-novik-6809_quote_i-should-like-to-know-if-he-has-sunk-a-f_832392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/naomi-novik-6809_quote_i-should-like-to-know-if-he-has-sunk-a-f_832392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/naomi-novik-6809_quote_i-should-like-to-know-if-he-has-sunk-a-f_832392.jpg) > ““I should like to know if he has sunk a frigate, alone, with a Fleur-de-Nuit on his back; and as for distinction, my ancestors were scholars in China while his were starving in pits.”” [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker compares personal heritage and achievements, highlighting a sense of superiority over another's misfortune. **In simple terms:** I feel superior because of my ancestors' status. Key Takeaway Recognize humility over pride. Themes pride heritage comparison Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family gatherings - academic discussions - historical debates Key Concepts social status family legacy humility Questions to Reflect On - How does your view of ancestry affect how you treat others? - What would change if you valued humility? A Different Perspective Pride can blind empathy and distort perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I knew that I had turned my world back to cinders, sunk my lovely ship with my own stupid, wicked hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stewart/i-knew-that-i-had-turned-my-world-back-to-cinders-sunk-my-lovely-ship/) [Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stewart/) > [I had to use my wits or else I'd have been sunk - and nothings going to sink me. 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We’ll use your bewitching chapeau as a float.” The nose of the yacht dipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-abe/don-t-worry-if-we-sink-we-ll-swim-together-to-shore-we-ll-use-your/) [Shana Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-abe/) > […and there, in the background, the sky’s sediment had sunk to a place where all the woe of the words ‘I am’ dissolved into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/and-there-in-the-background-the-sky-s-sediment-had-sunk-to-a-place/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“What has risen may sink, and what has sunk may rise. Loathsomeness waits and dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over the tottering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/what-has-risen-may-sink-and-what-has-sunk-may-rise-loathsomeness/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > [“All the mistakes I've made, That caused others pain, I could have done without. 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It came close to going under several times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heston-blumenthal/we-sunk-everything-into-it-it-came-close-to-going-under-several-times/) [Heston Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heston-blumenthal/) > [“The lights of the town and of the harbour and of the boats seemed like a phantom net floating there to mark something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-lights-of-the-town-and-of-the-harbour-and-of-the-boats-seemed/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Naomi Novik > [“The crew were all of them inclined to cough and sneeze, the boys particularly, and Keynes said, "We ought put them all in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/the-crew-were-all-of-them-inclined-to-cough-and-sneeze-the-boys/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“For his part, Temeraire had been following this exchange with cocked head and increasing confusion; now he said, "I do not understand in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/for-his-part-temeraire-had-been-following-this-exchange-with-cocked/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“Elsie eyed him puzzledly, and then offered, "Would you like to see my plate?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/elsie-eyed-him-puzzledly-and-then-offered-would-you-like-to-see-my/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [Temeraire-- Never fear; I am going; the Son of Heaven will not tolerate delays, and Barham gives me leave. Allegiance will carry us! Pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/temeraire-never-fear-i-am-going-the-son-of-heaven-will-not-tolerate/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“One man can go where a group cannot, and manage on very little, particularly a rough adventurer such as he. More the point, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/one-man-can-go-where-a-group-cannot-and-manage-on-very-little/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“It was all right when I did it,” I said, “but when you did it, it was wrong. As though—you were following a trail,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/it-was-all-right-when-i-did-it-i-said-but-when-you-did-it-it-was/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [Next you will cry about taxation without representation, and throw a basket of tea into the harbor. 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I am not letting them have you back,” Temeraire said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/no-they-nearly-drowned-you-and-not-even-on-purpose-but-only-through/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“I do not know that the Chinese system is any worse; there is a limit to the evil one despot alone can do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/i-do-not-know-that-the-chinese-system-is-any-worse-there-is-a-limit/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“Those men want to take Laurence from me, and put him in prison, and execute him, and I will not let them, ever, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/those-men-want-to-take-laurence-from-me-and-put-him-in-prison-and/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [I should rather have you than a heap of gold, even if it were very comfortable to sleep on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/i-should-rather-have-you-than-a-heap-of-gold-even-if-it-were-very/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“I think we must only a few of us go," Laurence said, low. "I will take a few volunteers - " "Oh, the devil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/i-think-we-must-only-a-few-of-us-go-laurence-said-low-i-will-take-a/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) > [“I know i'm making her sound like something out of a story. But it was the other way around. When my mother told me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-novik/i-know-i-m-making-her-sound-like-something-out-of-a-story-but-it-was/) [Naomi Novik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) [Explore all 97 Naomi Novik quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-novik/) ## More Sunk quotes > [I knew that I had turned my world back to cinders, sunk my lovely ship with my own stupid, wicked hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stewart/i-knew-that-i-had-turned-my-world-back-to-cinders-sunk-my-lovely-ship/) [Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stewart/) > [We sunk everything into it. 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I'd draw diagrams about it and theorise that if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-was-absolutely-obsessed-with-the-titanic-not-the-film-the-actual/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [They got word that the Japanese planes were coming back, so we sunk her ourselves so the Japanese wouldn't get it. We didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/they-got-word-that-the-japanese-planes-were-coming-back-so-we-sunk/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) > [“Goggles but no bathing suit?" she asked. Daniel blushed. "I guess that was stupid. But I was in a hurry, only thinking about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/goggles-but-no-bathing-suit-she-asked-daniel-blushed-i-guess-that-was/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“All the mistakes I've made, That caused others pain, I could have done without. All my foolish pride, The things I want to hide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/all-the-mistakes-i-ve-made-that-caused-others-pain-i-could-have-done/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“What has risen may sink, and what has sunk may rise. Loathsomeness waits and dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over the tottering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/what-has-risen-may-sink-and-what-has-sunk-may-rise-loathsomeness/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > […and there, in the background, the sky’s sediment had sunk to a place where all the woe of the words ‘I am’ dissolved into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/and-there-in-the-background-the-sky-s-sediment-had-sunk-to-a-place/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Don’t worry. If we sink, we’ll swim together to shore. We’ll use your bewitching chapeau as a float.” The nose of the yacht dipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-abe/don-t-worry-if-we-sink-we-ll-swim-together-to-shore-we-ll-use-your/) [Shana Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-abe/) > [No living person is sunk so low as not to be imitated by somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/no-living-person-is-sunk-so-low-as-not-to-be-imitated-by-somebody/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“If you had asked me the day before whether high school could get any worse, I would have bet you everything I had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goode/if-you-had-asked-me-the-day-before-whether-high-school-could-get-any/) [John Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goode/) > [I had to use my wits or else I'd have been sunk - and nothings going to sink me. 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