--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of all the griefs that harass the…" description: "\"Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png" --- # Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the… ![“Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png) > “Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Harassment by grief is painful, especially when it mocks us. **In simple terms:** Grief can be mocking. Key Takeaway Acknowledge grief’s sting. Themes grief mockery human suffering Mood somber reflective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - loss of loved one - personal failure - social criticism Key Concepts philosophy emotional pain Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to mocking grief? - Can humor ever ease sorrow? A Different Perspective Humor can also heal grief if used sensitively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) ## Related quotes > [Of all the griefs that harass the distress'd, Sure the most bitter is a scornful jest; Fate never wounds more deep the generous heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distress-d-sure-the-most-bitter-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Of all the grief's that harass the distressed; sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-grief-s-that-harass-the-distressed-sure-the-most-bitter-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The gods! long since they hold us in contempt, Scornful of gifts thus offered by the lost! Why should we fawn and flinch away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-gods-long-since-they-hold-us-in-contempt-scornful-of-gifts-thus/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Charlotte leaned forward across the table. “The Dark Sisters never mentioned what use they intended to make of your abilities, did they?” “You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/charlotte-leaned-forward-across-the-table-the-dark-sisters-never/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“ Miss Evans was a scornful Max Reinhardt saint. ... She left the room, her hips provocative and fluid. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-latimer/miss-evans-was-a-scornful-max-reinhardt-saint-she-left-the-room-her-2/) Jonathan Latimer > [Untroubled, scornful, outrageous - that is how wisdom wants us to be: she is a woman and never loves anyone but a warrior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/untroubled-scornful-outrageous-that-is-how-wisdom-wants-us-to-be-she/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The English have a scornful insular way Of calling the French light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-english-have-a-scornful-insular-way-of-calling-the-french-light/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“Cassie could be affectionate and scornful at the same time, and I always felt that if I wasn't careful, the scorn might win out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/cassie-could-be-affectionate-and-scornful-at-the-same-time-and-i/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“...there were none so scornful as those who had had to learn the hard way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bear/there-were-none-so-scornful-as-those-who-had-had-to-learn-the-hard-way/) [Elizabeth Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bear/) > [He had not yet learned that the only safe male rebuke to a scornful female is to stay away from her - especially if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/he-had-not-yet-learned-that-the-only-safe-male-rebuke-to-a-scornful/) [Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/) > [we are so scornful when we are young!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/we-are-so-scornful-when-we-are-young/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [The only safe male rebuke to a scornful female is to stay away from her - especially if that is what she desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/the-only-safe-male-rebuke-to-a-scornful-female-is-to-stay-away-from/) [Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/) > [“She was scornful. “He talks to you personally?” “He talks to everyone personally. Most people just don’t bother to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/she-was-scornful-he-talks-to-you-personally-he-talks-to-everyone/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [Not having time for a person, not being able to sit in silence together with somebody, that's the same as rejecting them, as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/not-having-time-for-a-person-not-being-able-to-sit-in-silence/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [the scornful force of his tone turned the word into a curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knowles/the-scornful-force-of-his-tone-turned-the-word-into-a-curse/) [John Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knowles/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distressed-sure-the-most-bitter-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distressed-sure-the-most-bitter-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/samuel-johnson-50_anger_of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distre_484825.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of all the griefs that harass the distressed, sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of all the griefs that harass...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distressed-sure-the-most-bitter-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/of-all-the-griefs-that-harass-the-distressed-sure-the-most-bitter-is/#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 } } ] } ```