--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And although in many cases these unions…" description: "\"“And although in many cases these unions proved happy enough, sailors being excellent husbands, often away and handy about the house when ashore, it di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/patrick-o-brian-2283_ball_and-although-in-many-cases-these-unions_1806256.jpg" --- # And although in many cases these unions proved happy… ![“And although in many cases these unions proved happy enough, sailors being excellent husbands, often away and handy about the house when ashore, it did make for a curious gathering when the spouses were invited to a ball.” quote by Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/patrick-o-brian-2283_ball_and-although-in-many-cases-these-unions_1806256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/patrick-o-brian-2283_ball_and-although-in-many-cases-these-unions_1806256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/patrick-o-brian-2283_ball_and-although-in-many-cases-these-unions_1806256.jpg) > ““And although in many cases these unions proved happy enough, sailors being excellent husbands, often away and handy about the house when ashore, it did make for a curious gathering when the spouses were invited to a ball.”” [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sailors, though good husbands, create awkward social scenes when their spouses attend a ball. **In simple terms:** Sailors' habits cause funny gatherings. Key Takeaway Adapt social expectations to mixed groups. Themes humor social norms marriage Mood lighthearted observational Type literary humorous When to use this quote - naval gatherings - formal events - mixed-company parties Key Concepts cultural clash gender roles social etiquette Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions about gender roles are challenged? - How would you handle similar awkwardness? A Different Perspective Humor may not translate across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Husbands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husbands/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Sailors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailors/) ## Related quotes > [We don't have any sailors in Australia, we have rowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lexcen/we-don-t-have-any-sailors-in-australia-we-have-rowers/) Ben Lexcen > [The wind of God's grace is incessantly blowing. Lazy sailors on the sea of life do not take advantage of it. But the active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-wind-of-god-s-grace-is-incessantly-blowing-lazy-sailors-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“We of the sea come to know each other quickly; our loves, like our hates, are born of sudden dangers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lew-wallace/we-of-the-sea-come-to-know-each-other-quickly-our-loves-like-our/) [Lew Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lew-wallace/) > [Friends are the sailors who guide your rickety boat safely across the dangerous waters of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friends-are-the-sailors-who-guide-your-rickety-boat-safely-across-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our long-term survival is at stake, we have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds. Sailors on a becalmed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/if-our-long-term-survival-is-at-stake-we-have-a-basic-responsibility/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I think there's always been a myth that sailors brought in records in their knapsacks as if you could ... in the local shops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-taylor/i-think-there-s-always-been-a-myth-that-sailors-brought-in-records-in/) [Derek Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-taylor/) > [I've always loved the songs of the sea. I was first introduced to them back in 1957, at the Old Town School of Folk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/i-ve-always-loved-the-songs-of-the-sea-i-was-first-introduced-to-them/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [Our military leaders don't seize power in coups; our soldiers and sailors don't go on strike for higher pay or benefits; our armed forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/our-military-leaders-don-t-seize-power-in-coups-our-soldiers-and/) [Kathleen Troia McFarland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/) > [Sailors on a becalmed sea, we sense the stirring of a breeze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/sailors-on-a-becalmed-sea-we-sense-the-stirring-of-a-breeze/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Ships are but boards, sailors but men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ships-are-but-boards-sailors-but-men/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm fond of anything that comes from the sea, and that includes sailors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-flanner/i-m-fond-of-anything-that-comes-from-the-sea-and-that-includes-sailors/) [Janet Flanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-flanner/) > [I used to own an island in the Seychelles and had a big boat there and one day I came across some Somali pirates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/i-used-to-own-an-island-in-the-seychelles-and-had-a-big-boat-there/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [In all lands, sailors form a race apart. 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