--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: O how can wicked men seem so steady and…" description: "\"“O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!”\" — Samuel Richardson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png" --- # O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with… ![“O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!” quote by Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png) > ““O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!”” [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the untroubled confidence of evil people with the unjust suffering of innocent ones. **In simple terms:** Evil seems unshaken while innocence is blamed. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge unfair judgments. Themes justice innocence hypocrisy power dynamics Mood angry critical Type ethical literary When to use this quote - courtroom trials - workplace conflicts - family disputes - political oppression Key Concepts moral philosophy social criticism Questions to Reflect On - How do we protect the innocent from scapegoating? - Why do societies sometimes reward the unscrupulous? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex social dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-heart/) [Black Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-hearts-344867/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Evil people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-people/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Innocents Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocents-stand-4087146/) [Like Malefactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-malefactors-4087147/) [Poor Innocents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-innocents-4087145/) [Wicked Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked-men-681750/) ## Related quotes > [“They do make love stories for girls with black hearts after all. They go like this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/they-do-make-love-stories-for-girls-with-black-hearts-after-all-they/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [People turn up at my shows with black hearts on their knuckles, waving their hands in the air like flags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/people-turn-up-at-my-shows-with-black-hearts-on-their-knuckles-waving/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) > [“For the supporters of the Dark Romance Revolution. I adore your black hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/for-the-supporters-of-the-dark-romance-revolution-i-adore-your-black/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [“Wicked men do not go away of their own accord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/wicked-men-do-not-go-away-of-their-own-accord/) [James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/) > [“Don’t let those wicked men win, don’t let them destroy you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-lawson/don-t-let-those-wicked-men-win-don-t-let-them-destroy-you/) [Gladys Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-lawson/) > [There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-is-nothing-that-keeps-wicked-men-at-any-one-moment-out-of-hell/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“You cannot take vengeance on a whole people because of the doings of a few wicked men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/you-cannot-take-vengeance-on-a-whole-people-because-of-the-doings-of/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Peace is found with honesty among wicked men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-dehaven/peace-is-found-with-honesty-among-wicked-men/) [Benjamin DeHaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-dehaven/) > [Wicked men obey out of fear; good men, out of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/wicked-men-obey-out-of-fear-good-men-out-of-love/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“Men who give up the common goal of all things that exist, thereby cease to exist themselves. Some may perhaps think it strange that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anicius-manlius-severinus-boethius/men-who-give-up-the-common-goal-of-all-things-that-exist-thereby/) [Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anicius-manlius-severinus-boethius/) > [“Wicked men have done dirty things to u but never ever think that u are dirty!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-lawson/wicked-men-have-done-dirty-things-to-u-but-never-ever-think-that-u/) [Gladys Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-lawson/) > [The reason why wicked men and devils hate God is, because they see Him in relation to themselves. Their hearts rise up in rebellion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-grandison-finney/the-reason-why-wicked-men-and-devils-hate-god-is-because-they-see-him/) [Charles Grandison Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-grandison-finney/) > [Wicked men obey for fear, but the good for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/wicked-men-obey-for-fear-but-the-good-for-love/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“All wicked men’s pains and contrivance they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, don’t secure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/all-wicked-men-s-pains-and-contrivance-they-use-to-escape-hell-while/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-have-seen-wicked-men-and-fools-a-great-many-of-both-and-i-believe/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More by Samuel Richardson > [I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-never-knew-a-man-who-deserved-to-be-thought-well-of-for-his-morals/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [A beautiful woman must expect to be more accountable for her steps, than one less attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/a-beautiful-woman-must-expect-to-be-more-accountable-for-her-steps/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [The person who is worthiest to live, is fittest to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-person-who-is-worthiest-to-live-is-fittest-to-die/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Vast is the field of Science... the more a man knows, the more he will find he has to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/vast-is-the-field-of-science-the-more-a-man-knows-the-more-he-will/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [The difference in the education of men and women must give the former great advantages over the latter, even where geniuses are equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-difference-in-the-education-of-men-and-women-must-give-the-former/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [There are men who think themselves too wise to be religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-are-men-who-think-themselves-too-wise-to-be-religious/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady,intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/love-is-a-blazing-crackling-green-wood-flame-as-much-smoke-as-flame/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [A good man will honor him who lives up to his religious profession, whatever it be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/a-good-man-will-honor-him-who-lives-up-to-his-religious-profession/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Quantity in diet is more to be regarded than quality. A full meal is a great enemy both to study and industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/quantity-in-diet-is-more-to-be-regarded-than-quality-a-full-meal-is-a/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Superstitious notions propagated in infancy are hardly ever totally eradicate, not even in minds grown strong enough to despise the like credulous folly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/superstitious-notions-propagated-in-infancy-are-hardly-ever-totally/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [The eye is the casement at which the heart generally looks out. Many a woman who will not show herself at the door, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-eye-is-the-casement-at-which-the-heart-generally-looks-out-many-a/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [People of little understanding are most apt to be angry when their sense is called into question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/people-of-little-understanding-are-most-apt-to-be-angry-when-their/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [I have my choice: who can wish for more? Free will enables us to do everything well while imposition makes a light burden heavy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-have-my-choice-who-can-wish-for-more-free-will-enables-us-to-do/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [There would be no supporting life were we to feel quite as poignantly for others as we do for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-would-be-no-supporting-life-were-we-to-feel-quite-as-poignantly/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) [Explore all 215 Samuel Richardson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) ## More Black heart quotes > [“Nothing will ever be enough to satisfy the black hole in our hearts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soman-chainani/nothing-will-ever-be-enough-to-satisfy-the-black-hole-in-our-hearts/) [Soman Chainani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soman-chainani/) > [“Vasco bought a bottle of vodka to celebrate and they drank it in the old sailors' graveyard in Mangrove South. This was where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-thomson/vasco-bought-a-bottle-of-vodka-to-celebrate-and-they-drank-it-in-the/) [Rupert Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-thomson/) > [A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-fire-a-fire-is-burning-i-hear-the-boot-of-lucifer-i-see-his-filthy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ritually abusive groups also convince children that something evil has been put inside them. For example, a child is made to believe he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/ritually-abusive-groups-also-convince-children-that-something-evil/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“If I've killed one man, I've killed two-- The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, Seven years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath-daddy/if-i-ve-killed-one-man-i-ve-killed-two-the-vampire-who-said-he-was/) [Sylvia Plath Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath-daddy/) > [“Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla was considered a myth. Oddly enough, a legend not unlike bigfoot or the loch ness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/up-until-the-mid-twentieth-century-the-mountain-gorilla-was/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“If you are a crazy person who needs to have clandestine meetings, then, just like in real estate, what matters most is location, location,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/if-you-are-a-crazy-person-who-needs-to-have-clandestine-meetings-then/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [The album 'Hoodie SZN' is about the result of where I come from: it gave me this black heart. And the black heart represents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-boogie-wit-da-hoodie/the-album-hoodie-szn-is-about-the-result-of-where-i-come-from-it-gave/) [A Boogie wit da Hoodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-boogie-wit-da-hoodie/) > [“She'd read in novels of people who couldn't speak because their hearts were too full and she'd always thought, Not my black heart. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/she-d-read-in-novels-of-people-who-couldn-t-speak-because-their/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) > [“There's nothing quite as funny as someone else's misery - Cassel Sharpe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/there-s-nothing-quite-as-funny-as-someone-else-s-misery-cassel-sharpe/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I know of good people with black hearts. I know of bad people with big hearts. It isn’t always what it seems. Generalized boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquib-ali/i-know-of-good-people-with-black-hearts-i-know-of-bad-people-with-big/) [Aquib Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquib-ali/) > [“I whispered, "Do you have a rubber?" He laughed, hushed, a laughing whisper, as though his parents were in the next room, and reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-drake/i-whispered-do-you-have-a-rubber-he-laughed-hushed-a-laughing-whisper/) [Monica Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-drake/) > [“Aisha…is it wrong of me to wish you to break a leg? Into many tiny, little pieces? And when or if it heals…would it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiry-nieves/aisha-is-it-wrong-of-me-to-wish-you-to-break-a-leg-into-many-tiny/) [Eiry Nieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiry-nieves/) > [“For the supporters of the Dark Romance Revolution. I adore your black hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/for-the-supporters-of-the-dark-romance-revolution-i-adore-your-black/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [People turn up at my shows with black hearts on their knuckles, waving their hands in the air like flags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/people-turn-up-at-my-shows-with-black-hearts-on-their-knuckles-waving/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) [Browse all 50 Black heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Richardson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and-untouched-with-such-black/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and-untouched-with-such-black/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/samuel-richardson-1695_black-heart_o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and_2895125.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like…” — Samuel Richardson", "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 Richardson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“O how can wicked men seem...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and-untouched-with-such-black/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/o-how-can-wicked-men-seem-so-steady-and-untouched-with-such-black/#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 } } ] } ```