--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfect, he, as a lover, might have…" description: "\"“Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand. But no—they were not perfect. and it was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/thomas-hardy-410_imperfect_perfect-he-as-a-lover-might-have-called_2807352.jpg" --- # Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand… ![“Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand. But no—they were not perfect. and it was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfect that gave the sweetness, because it was that which gave the humanity.” quote by Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/thomas-hardy-410_imperfect_perfect-he-as-a-lover-might-have-called_2807352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/thomas-hardy-410_imperfect_perfect-he-as-a-lover-might-have-called_2807352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/thomas-hardy-410_imperfect_perfect-he-as-a-lover-might-have-called_2807352.jpg) > ““Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand. But no—they were not perfect. and it was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfect that gave the sweetness, because it was that which gave the humanity.”” [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. Imperfection adds humanity and sweetness to idealized love. **In simple terms:** Flaws make love human and sweet. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfections in relationships. Themes imperfection love humanity Mood thoughtful poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - romantic relationships - art criticism - personal growth Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy emotional depth Questions to Reflect On - What imperfections do you cherish? - How do flaws enhance love? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can hinder connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Perfect lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-lover/) ## Related quotes > [It was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfect that gave the sweetness, because it was that which gave the humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/it-was-the-touch-of-the-imperfect-upon-the-would-be-perfect-that-gave/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“How very lovable her face was to him. Yet there was nothing ethereal about it; all was real vitality, real warmth, real incarnation. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/how-very-lovable-her-face-was-to-him-yet-there-was-nothing-ethereal/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Im far from perfect. But I will be perfect for that imperfect someone who is perfect for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-far-from-perfect-but-i-will-be-perfect-for-that-imperfect-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Adam wasn't lonely because he was imperfect but because he was perfect. The ache for friends is not the result of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/adam-wasn-t-lonely-because-he-was-imperfect-but-because-he-was/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > ['Being imperfect is perfect '](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-anna/being-imperfect-is-perfect/) Holly Anna > [I found happiness when I realized that as imperfect as I may be, I am the perfect Nick Vujicic. I am God's creation, designed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/i-found-happiness-when-i-realized-that-as-imperfect-as-i-may-be-i-am/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [“Perfect” doesn’t exist without “imperfect” because “perfect” isn’t “perfect” unless we have something to compare it against. We can’t think that someone is “pretty”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-elkrief/perfect-doesn-t-exist-without-imperfect-because-perfect-isn-t-perfect/) [Noah Elkrief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-elkrief/) > [All imperfections are forced upon the imperfect, so the 'perfect' can live content and oblivious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/all-imperfections-are-forced-upon-the-imperfect-so-the-perfect-can/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I'm imperfect but I'm perfect at being me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-imperfect-but-i-m-perfect-at-being-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest part of being imperfect, is being perfect at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/the-greatest-part-of-being-imperfect-is-being-perfect-at-it/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are the more gentle and quiet we become towards the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/it-is-only-imperfection-that-complains-of-what-is-imperfect-the-more/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I am imperfect. When you are so perfect. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lister/i-am-imperfect-when-you-are-so-perfect-to-me/) [Ann Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-lister/) > [“She’s so perfectly imperfect, and perfect for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mclean/she-s-so-perfectly-imperfect-and-perfect-for-me/) [Jay McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mclean/) > [A famous singer once told me that he likes me because I am imperfect. He said that by being imperfect, I am being perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/a-famous-singer-once-told-me-that-he-likes-me-because-i-am-imperfect/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [“being normal is unnormal but being imperfect is PERFECT! I know I was different and perfect :)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-petra/being-normal-is-unnormal-but-being-imperfect-is-perfect-i-know-i-was/) Monica Petra ## 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 Imperfect quotes > [You know why you're not perfect? You do everything perfectly and you think you are perfect, but the mere fact that you think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-why-you-re-not-perfect-you-do-everything-perfectly-and-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Laugh at every mistakes and realize that no one is perfect. We are human. All of us are imperfect, so there's no point judging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-at-every-mistakes-and-realize-that-no-one-is-perfect-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The process of putting intangible thoughts into an imperfect system of notation - which is difficult enough, depending on your ideas - acquaints you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/the-process-of-putting-intangible-thoughts-into-an-imperfect-system/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I'm an imperfect messenger, but the message is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-m-an-imperfect-messenger-but-the-message-is-perfect/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Look, don't judge Christianity by the imperfect examples that we have seen in history. Judge it by Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/look-don-t-judge-christianity-by-the-imperfect-examples-that-we-have/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [the most terribly human moments - the ones we want to pretend never happened - are the very moments that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/the-most-terribly-human-moments-the-ones-we-want-to-pretend-never/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [In the light of absolute values (religious or ethical) man himself is judged to be limited or imperfect, while he can occasionally accomplish acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-hulme/in-the-light-of-absolute-values-religious-or-ethical-man-himself-is/) [T. E. Hulme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-hulme/) > [“When God broke his deal with me, I turned to the Devil. In the end, I wasn't happy. I realized that the imagination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/when-god-broke-his-deal-with-me-i-turned-to-the-devil-in-the-end-i/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [I wish I was the girl with the perfect hair and flawless face..but wait... that's pretty much like a barbie... plastic and fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goon-mariaa/i-wish-i-was-the-girl-with-the-perfect-hair-and-flawless-face-but/) Goon\_Mariaa > [Trusting people to be creative and constructive when given more freedom does not imply an overly optimistic belief in the perfectibility of human nature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/trusting-people-to-be-creative-and-constructive-when-given-more/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [He felt safe with her. He'd never been safe with another human being, not since he'd been taken as a child from his home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/he-felt-safe-with-her-he-d-never-been-safe-with-another-human-being/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [The day we find the perfect church, it becomes imperfect the moment we join it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-day-we-find-the-perfect-church-it-becomes-imperfect-the-moment-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have been taught that there is something wrong with you and that you are imperfect, but there isn't and you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheri-huber/you-have-been-taught-that-there-is-something-wrong-with-you-and-that/) [Cheri Huber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheri-huber/) > [Drop the veneer periodically and be like "OK, I'm an imperfect human. Let's try to get through this."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/drop-the-veneer-periodically-and-be-like-ok-i-m-an-imperfect-human/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [Maybe...just maybe...I like being imperfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-just-maybe-i-like-being-imperfect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 1,102 Imperfect quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand. 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