Dreadful Quote by Sydney Smith
“Heat, ma'am! it was so dreadful here, that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, 1759
The speaker describes extreme discomfort, wishing to shed skin and become skeletal to escape suffering.
In simple terms: Extreme discomfort leads to desire for escape.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address pain before it overwhelms.
Themes
discomfort
escape
body
psychology
Mood
distressed
reflective
Type
philosophical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- intense heat
- personal crisis
- mental health
- self‑care
Key Concepts
existential dread
physical metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What underlying issue is causing your discomfort?
- How can you address it without self‑harm?
A Different Perspective
Escaping pain may cause deeper issues if not resolved.
![“To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall … [p.218 ff.]” quote by Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f72/ann-patchett-670_beautiful_to-say-it-was-a-beautiful-day-would-not_306547.jpg)
![“[T]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury hates the abstract truths of science as much as he hates concrete truth in human affairs, now is his time for getting rid of the multiplication table, and…” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/709/sydney-smith-6523_abstract_t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-no_463551.jpg)
![“Seriously, I do not know what to say of this book [ Absalom, Absalom!] except that it seem to point to the final blowup of what was once a remarkable, if minor, talent… this is a penny dreadful tricked up in fancy language and given a specious depth by the expert manipulation of a series of…” quote by Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc1/clifton-fadiman-11053_book_seriously-i-do-not-know-what-to-say-of-t_494033.jpg)
