--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must come down from our heights, and…" description: "\"“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If we would learn truths by strong contrasts;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg" --- # We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight… ![“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If we would learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been wrought upon our fellow-creatures by accident…” quote by Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg) > ““We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If we would learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been wrought upon our fellow-creatures by accident, hardship, or strife.”” [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To understand humanity, one must experience life among the marginalized and observe how adversity shapes people. **In simple terms:** Learn from the poor and suffering to see true human nature. Key Takeaway Seek empathy through humble experiences. Themes empathy social justice human nature Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - travel to underserved areas - reading biographies of the poor Key Concepts contrast adversity observation Questions to Reflect On - How does hardship reveal character? - What can privileged people learn from the marginalized? A Different Perspective Only observing may not change systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come Heights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-heights-4674553/) [Forecastles Outcasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forecastles-outcasts-4674555/) [Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) [Hardship Strife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship-strife-4674554/) [Learn Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-truths-1498862/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths for the by-ways and low places of life, if we would learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for-2/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) > [“His is one of those cases which are more numerous than those suppose who have never lived anywhere but in their own homes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cotton-dana/his-is-one-of-those-cases-which-are-more-numerous-than-those-suppose/) [John Cotton Dana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cotton-dana/) > [The wonderful thing about books is that they allow us to enter imaginatively into someone else’s life. 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''Perhaps it is also time to learn of other truths, other ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/it-is-a-time-of-change-sazed-said-perhaps-it-is-also-time-to-learn-of/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I could do without many things with no hardship-you are not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-do-without-many-things-with-no-hardship-you-are-not-one-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The goal in raising one's child is to enable him, first, to discover who he wants to be, and then to become a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/the-goal-in-raising-one-s-child-is-to-enable-him-first-to-discover/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [It isn't easy to suffer failure, go through all the pain and the hardship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/it-isn-t-easy-to-suffer-failure-go-through-all-the-pain-and-the/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [Firstly, do not fear hardship, and secondly, do not fear death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/firstly-do-not-fear-hardship-and-secondly-do-not-fear-death/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Richard Henry Dana Jr > [Better to be driven out from among men than to be disliked by children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/better-to-be-driven-out-from-among-men-than-to-be-disliked-by-children/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) > [“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths for the by-ways and low places of life, if we would learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for-2/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) > [“A dozen men are shut up together in a little bark upon the wide, wide sea, and for months and months see no forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/a-dozen-men-are-shut-up-together-in-a-little-bark-upon-the-wide-wide/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) > [“With all my imperfections on my head," I joined the crew, and we hauled out into the stream, and came to anchor for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/with-all-my-imperfections-on-my-head-i-joined-the-crew-and-we-hauled/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) > [“Let him then have powers commensurate with his utmost possible need, only let him be held strictly responsible for the exercise of them. 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The curse of a people calling themselves Christian, seems to follow them everywhere;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/they-seem-to-be-a-doomed-people-the-curse-of-a-people-calling/) [Richard Henry Dana Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) [Explore all 9 Richard Henry Dana Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/) ## More Hardship quotes > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. 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It presents a lot of hardship, but the people that are able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/life-is-a-series-of-punches-it-presents-a-lot-of-challenges-it/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) [Browse all 913 Hardship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If we would learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been wrought upon our fellow-creatures by accident, hardship, or strife.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Henry Dana Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hardship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/richard-henry-dana-jr-45372_hardship_we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-l_564835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If…” — Richard Henry Dana Jr", "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": "Richard Henry Dana Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-dana-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We must come down from our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-dana-jr/we-must-come-down-from-our-heights-and-leave-our-straight-paths-for/#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 } } ] } ```