--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you chance to live in a town where the…" description: "\"If you chance to live in a town where the authorities cannot rest until they have destroyed every precious tree within their blighting reach, you will ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/thomas-bailey-aldrich-4098_beauty_if-you-chance-to-live-in-a-town-where-th_1075750.png" --- # If you chance to live in a town where the authorities… ![“If you chance to live in a town where the authorities cannot rest until they have destroyed every precious tree within their blighting reach, you will be especially charmed by the beauty of the streets of Portsmouth.” quote by Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/thomas-bailey-aldrich-4098_beauty_if-you-chance-to-live-in-a-town-where-th_1075750.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/thomas-bailey-aldrich-4098_beauty_if-you-chance-to-live-in-a-town-where-th_1075750.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/thomas-bailey-aldrich-4098_beauty_if-you-chance-to-live-in-a-town-where-th_1075750.png) > “If you chance to live in a town where the authorities cannot rest until they have destroyed every precious tree within their blighting reach, you will be especially charmed by the beauty of the streets of Portsmouth.” [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Destruction of trees by authorities can paradoxically highlight a city’s charm, revealing hidden beauty. **In simple terms:** Destruction reveals hidden beauty. Key Takeaway Appreciate subtle beauty amid loss. Themes environment urbanism paradox Mood nostalgic reflective Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - city planning - environmental activism - tourism - historical preservation Key Concepts deforestation urban beauty contrast Questions to Reflect On - What small wonders persist despite neglect? - How does loss change perception? A Different Perspective Loss can diminish overall value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Blighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blighting-2704049/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Portsmouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portsmouth/) [Precious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious/) [Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest/) [Streets Portsmouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets-portsmouth-2704047/) [Town Authorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/town-authorities-2704050/) [Tree Blighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree-blighting-2704048/) ## Related quotes > [The more destruction there is everywhere, the more it shows the activity of town authorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/the-more-destruction-there-is-everywhere-the-more-it-shows-the/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [Portsmouth has the honor, I believe, of establishing the first recorded pauper workhouse - though not in connection with her poets, as might naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/portsmouth-has-the-honor-i-believe-of-establishing-the-first-recorded/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [To live in Portsmouth without possessing a family portrait done by Copley is like living in Boston without having an ancestor in the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/to-live-in-portsmouth-without-possessing-a-family-portrait-done-by/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [When I left Portsmouth, I vowed to only work for people I liked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/when-i-left-portsmouth-i-vowed-to-only-work-for-people-i-liked/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [I never saw Portsmouth by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-never-saw-portsmouth-by-day/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [When I left Portsmouth, I was happy. I'd had a great two years there, but I wanted a break. I needed a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/when-i-left-portsmouth-i-was-happy-i-d-had-a-great-two-years-there/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [Growing up a lot of my friends were Portsmouth fans, but that's the way football goes and that's the career path that I chose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/growing-up-a-lot-of-my-friends-were-portsmouth-fans-but-that-s-the/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Younes Kaboul is a vital clog in the Portsmouth engine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-gould/younes-kaboul-is-a-vital-clog-in-the-portsmouth-engine/) [Bobby Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-gould/) > [I don't want to go to Portsmouth or any other club that has no ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benni-mccarthy/i-don-t-want-to-go-to-portsmouth-or-any-other-club-that-has-no/) [Benni McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benni-mccarthy/) > [David Nugent tore up the Championship but he’s gone to Portsmouth and he’s a fish up a tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-merson/david-nugent-tore-up-the-championship-but-he-s-gone-to-portsmouth-and/) [Paul Merson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-merson/) > [Portsmouth are at Huddersfield, which is always away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-greaves/portsmouth-are-at-huddersfield-which-is-always-away/) [Jimmy Greaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-greaves/) > [To anybody who can hold the Present at its worth without being inappreciative of the Past, it may be forgiven, if to such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/to-anybody-who-can-hold-the-present-at-its-worth-without-being/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I was chancellor of Portsmouth University.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-hancock/i-was-chancellor-of-portsmouth-university/) [Sheila Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-hancock/) > [Gianna Marie Turner is a beatiful name for a precious little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/gianna-marie-turner-is-a-beatiful-name-for-a-precious-little-girl/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by Thomas Bailey Aldrich > [No bird has ever uttered note That was not in some first bird's throat; Since Eden's freshness and man's fall No rose has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/no-bird-has-ever-uttered-note-that-was-not-in-some-first-bird-s/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [There is no man at once so unselfish and selfish as a man in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/there-is-no-man-at-once-so-unselfish-and-selfish-as-a-man-in-love/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [I have frequently noticed how circumstances conspire to help a man, or a boy, when he has thoroughly resolved on doing a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/i-have-frequently-noticed-how-circumstances-conspire-to-help-a-man-or/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [Everywhere on the Continent, the tourist is looked upon as a bird to be plucked, and presently the bird himself feebly comes to regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/everywhere-on-the-continent-the-tourist-is-looked-upon-as-a-bird-to/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [Imagine all human beings swept off the face of the earth, excepting one man. 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If it is a possible thing, they always set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/famous-old-houses-seem-to-have-an-intuitive-perception-of-the-value/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [Every man has within himself a gold mine whose riches are limited only by his own industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/every-man-has-within-himself-a-gold-mine-whose-riches-are-limited/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [The fate of the worm refutes the pretended ethical teaching of the proverb, which assumes to illustrate the advantage of early rising and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/the-fate-of-the-worm-refutes-the-pretended-ethical-teaching-of-the/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) [Explore all 116 Thomas Bailey Aldrich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. 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When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. 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