--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was an immeasurable distance…" description: "\"There was an immeasurable distance between the quick and the dead: they did not seem to belong to the same species; and it was strange to think that bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36a/w-somerset-maugham-237_distance_there-was-an-immeasurable-distance-betwe_2389961.jpg" --- # There was an immeasurable distance between the quick and… ![“There was an immeasurable distance between the quick and the dead: they did not seem to belong to the same species; and it was strange to think that but a little while before they had spoken and moved and eaten and laughed.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36a/w-somerset-maugham-237_distance_there-was-an-immeasurable-distance-betwe_2389961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36a/w-somerset-maugham-237_distance_there-was-an-immeasurable-distance-betwe_2389961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36a/w-somerset-maugham-237_distance_there-was-an-immeasurable-distance-betwe_2389961.jpg) > “There was an immeasurable distance between the quick and the dead: they did not seem to belong to the same species; and it was strange to think that but a little while before they had spoken and moved and eaten and laughed.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life and death are separated by an immense, almost incomprehensible gulf, making the living feel alien to the dead. **In simple terms:** Living and dying feel worlds apart. Key Takeaway Recognize the preciousness of life. Themes mortality alienation existence Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - philosophical reflection - literary analysis Key Concepts human condition epistemic distance Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness of mortality change daily choices? - What bridges the gap between the living and the dead? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [Eaten Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eaten-laughed-5608665/) [Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved/) [Moved Eaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved-eaten-5949906/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Species Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species-strange-5949905/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-think-362516/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Not where he eats, but where he is eaten’?” He laughed again. “Racine has his moments, sure, but you can’t beat Shakespeare for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-roberts/not-where-he-eats-but-where-he-is-eaten-he-laughed-again-racine-has/) [Adam Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-roberts/) > [“Would it be so strange to think that upon death, when there is no newly created consciousness in the continuation of our histories, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-hewitt-suchocki/would-it-be-so-strange-to-think-that-upon-death-when-there-is-no-2/) [Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-hewitt-suchocki/) > [“But there was something strange about her that made me think she was "somebody." 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And I've been spending the last 8 months thinking all love Ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-think-its-strange-you-think-i-m-funny-cause-he-never-did-and-i-ve/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Sometimes I think I am really strange. I never think to have a big career. When the time comes, I hope to find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirella-freni/sometimes-i-think-i-am-really-strange-i-never-think-to-have-a-big/) [Mirella Freni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirella-freni/) > [It is strange to think that we might have crossed paths, and still not have known what we were missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-is-strange-to-think-that-we-might-have-crossed-paths-and-still-not/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [It's strange to think about the scathing reviews 'Sigh No More' got and then consider that we could win best album a year or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dwane/it-s-strange-to-think-about-the-scathing-reviews-sigh-no-more-got-and/) [Ted Dwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dwane/) > [It would be strange for me to think I'm being ripped off, because that's what I do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-prince/it-would-be-strange-for-me-to-think-i-m-being-ripped-off-because-that/) [Richard Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-prince/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. 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It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Distance quotes > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I raised another shot. "That sound you hear is the heads of moral conservatives spontaneously exploding in the distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/i-raised-another-shot-that-sound-you-hear-is-the-heads-of-moral/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [When somebody mentions that I did a play with George C. Scott, I'm like, it can't have happened. What was I doing on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-somebody-mentions-that-i-did-a-play-with-george-c-scott-i-m-like/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Memories seem to surface in no particular order, with no time attached. Yesterday can seem as distant as last year. My life now consists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/memories-seem-to-surface-in-no-particular-order-with-no-time-attached/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. 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