--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: George's son had done his work so…" description: "\"George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was considered too good a workman to live, and was, in fact, taken and tragically shot at twelve o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg" --- # George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was… ![“George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was considered too good a workman to live, and was, in fact, taken and tragically shot at twelve o'clock that same day—another instance of the untoward fate which so often attends dogs and other philosophers who follow out a train of reasoning…” quote by Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg) > “George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was considered too good a workman to live, and was, in fact, taken and tragically shot at twelve o'clock that same day—another instance of the untoward fate which so often attends dogs and other philosophers who follow out a train of reasoning to its logical conclusion, and attempt perfectly consistent conduct in a world made up so largely of compromise.” [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A brilliant mind that follows logic to its extreme can be destroyed by a world that values compromise over consistency. **In simple terms:** Rigid logic can be fatal in a compromising world. Key Takeaway Balance logic with empathy. Themes logic philosophy compromise consequences Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - academic debate - legal reasoning - personal relationships - career decisions Key Concepts determinism ethical absolutism social reality Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile ideal principles with real‑world compromise? - When is flexibility more ethical than strict logic? A Different Perspective Pure rationality may clash with human unpredictability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [No amount of pay ever made a good soldier, a good teacher, a good artist, or a good workman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-amount-of-pay-ever-made-a-good-soldier-a-good-teacher-a-good/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [There is no pleasure subtler than the sensation of being a good workman; and in work there is the sense of consanguinity-unconscious as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/there-is-no-pleasure-subtler-than-the-sensation-of-being-a-good/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [The men who are not interested in philosophy need it most urgently: they are most helplessly in its power. The men who are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-men-who-are-not-interested-in-philosophy-need-it-most-urgently/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/dogs-and-philosophers-do-the-greatest-good-and-get-the-fewest-rewards/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [When a book raises your spirit, and inspires you with noble and manly thoughts, seek for no other test of its excellence. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/when-a-book-raises-your-spirit-and-inspires-you-with-noble-and-manly/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [“Any first rate novel or story must have in it the strength of a dozen fairly good stories that have been sacrificed to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/any-first-rate-novel-or-story-must-have-in-it-the-strength-of-a-dozen/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The greatest problem before engineers and managers today is the economical utilization of labor . The limiting of output by the workman, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-gantt/the-greatest-problem-before-engineers-and-managers-today-is-the/) Henry Gantt > [The wind, as a direct motive power, is wholly inapplicable to a system of machine labour, for during a calm season the whole business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/the-wind-as-a-direct-motive-power-is-wholly-inapplicable-to-a-system/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [Out of our first century of national life we evolved the ethical principle that it was not right or just that an honest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-perkins/out-of-our-first-century-of-national-life-we-evolved-the-ethical/) [Frances Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-perkins/) > [ Physicians attend to the business of physicians, and workmen handle the tools of workmen. \[Lat., Quod medicorum est Promittunt medici, tractant fabrilia fabri.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/physicians-attend-to-the-business-of-physicians-and-workmen-handle/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [The workman cut to the left, still laying on his horn, and roared around the drunkenly weaving limousine. He invited the driver of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-workman-cut-to-the-left-still-laying-on-his-horn-and-roared/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Because what happens is, as the economy suffers, tax revenues go down. But unlike businesses, where at least your variable costs go down, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/because-what-happens-is-as-the-economy-suffers-tax-revenues-go-down/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [Nearest to all things is that power which fashions their being. Next to us the grandest laws are constantly being executed. Next to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nearest-to-all-things-is-that-power-which-fashions-their-being-next/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More by Thomas Hardy > [“He grew away from old associations, and saw something new in life and humanity. Secondarily, he made close acquaintance with phenomena which he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/he-grew-away-from-old-associations-and-saw-something-new-in-life-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“She was in a sound sleep, Jude, dying of anxiety lest she should have caught a chill which might permanently injure her, was glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/she-was-in-a-sound-sleep-jude-dying-of-anxiety-lest-she-should-have/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [You ride well, but you don't kiss nicely at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/you-ride-well-but-you-don-t-kiss-nicely-at-all/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [You could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks, or her ninth sparkling from her eyes; and even her fifth would flit over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/you-could-sometimes-see-her-twelfth-year-in-her-cheeks-or-her-ninth/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“It was mid-May time, bringing with it weather not, perhaps, quite so blooming as that assumed to be natural to the month by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/it-was-mid-may-time-bringing-with-it-weather-not-perhaps-quite-so/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [If Galileo had said in verse that the world moved, the inquisition might have let him alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/if-galileo-had-said-in-verse-that-the-world-moved-the-inquisition/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Some folk want their luck buttered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/some-folk-want-their-luck-buttered/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Measurement of life should be proportioned rather to the intensity of the experience than to its actual length.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/measurement-of-life-should-be-proportioned-rather-to-the-intensity-of/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“I was court-martialed in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/i-was-court-martialed-in-my-absence-and-sentenced-to-death-in-my/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“It being the first time in his life that he had touched female fingers under water, Dick duly registered the sensation as rather a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/it-being-the-first-time-in-his-life-that-he-had-touched-female/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“As soon as she could discern the outline of the house, it had all its old effect upon Tess's imagination. Part of her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/as-soon-as-she-could-discern-the-outline-of-the-house-it-had-all-its/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [ The perfect woman, you see \[is\] a working-woman; not an idler; not a fine lady; but one who \[uses\] her hands and her head… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/the-perfect-woman-you-see-is-a-working-woman-not-an-idler-not-a-fine/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“The Sinister Spirit sneered: 'It had to be!' And again the Spirit of Pity whispered, 'Why?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/the-sinister-spirit-sneered-it-had-to-be-and-again-the-spirit-of-pity/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“Justice” was done, and the President of the Immortals (in Aeschylean phrase) had ended his sport with Tess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/justice-was-done-and-the-president-of-the-immortals-in-aeschylean/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) [Explore all 561 Thomas Hardy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was considered too good a workman to live, and was, in fact, taken and tragically shot at twelve o'clock that same day—another instance of the untoward fate which so often attends dogs and other philosophers who follow out a train of reasoning to its logical conclusion, and attempt perfectly consistent conduct in a world made up so largely of compromise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hardy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thoroughly-that-he-was-considered/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clock" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thoroughly-that-he-was-considered/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/thomas-hardy-410_clock_george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thorou_1260337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“George's son had done his work so thoroughly that he was considered too good a workman to live, and was, in…” — Thomas Hardy", "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": "Thomas Hardy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "George's son had done his work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thoroughly-that-he-was-considered/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/george-s-son-had-done-his-work-so-thoroughly-that-he-was-considered/#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 } } ] } ```