Bears Quote by Samuel Johnson
“Sir, sorrow is inherent in humanity. As you cannot judge two and two to be either five, or three, but certainly four, so, when comparing a worse present state with a better which is past, you cannot but feel sorrow. It is not cured by reason, but by the incursion of present objects, which bear out the past.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Reflections on Sorrow, 1765
Sorrow arises when we compare present misfortune to a better past; reason alone can't heal it, only present experiences that echo the past.
In simple terms: We feel sadness comparing now to better times.
Key Takeaway
Accept and seek present moments that echo past joy.
Themes
sorrow
memory
philosophy
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- loss
- nostalgia
- personal crises
Key Concepts
comparative judgment
temporal perspective
healing
Questions to Reflect On
- What present experiences can remind you of past happiness?
- How does comparing past and present affect your emotions?
A Different Perspective
Reason alone cannot eliminate grief.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)
