Astronomy Quote by Thomas Hardy
““At night, when human discords and harmonies are hushed, . . . there is nothing to moderate the blow with which the infinitely great, the stellar universe, strikes down upon the infinitely little, the mind of the beholder . . . Having got closer to immensity than their fellow-creatures, they saw at once its beauty and its frightfulness. They more and more felt the contrast between their own tiny magnitudes and those among which they had recklessly plunged, till they were oppressed with the presence of a vastness they could not cope with even as an idea, and which hung about them like a nightmare.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Tess of the d'Urbervilles, 1891
Confronting the universe’s enormity overwhelms human mind, exposing both awe and terror.
In simple terms: The vast universe can frighten and inspire.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility before the cosmos.
Themes
humility
existential awe
cosmic perspective
Mood
wonder
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- stargazing
- philosophical reflection
- creative writing
- meditation
- education
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance awe with rational understanding?
- Can confronting vastness improve personal growth?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize fear, ignoring scientific rationalism.
![“[...]there was always a part of the human mind that was prepared to entertain such notions, particularly at night, in the world of shadows, when there were sounds that one could not understand and when each one of us was in some sense alone.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f8/alexander-mccall-smith-372_human-mind_there-was-always-a-part-of-the-human-min_536203.jpg)
