--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion…" description: "\"Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.\" — William Congreve" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png" --- # Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when… ![“Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.” quote by William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png) > “Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.” [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Guilt creates confusion, while innocence and truth are ready to be expressed. **In simple terms:** Guilt clouds mind; truth seeks expression. Key Takeaway Embrace honesty to dispel guilt. Themes guilt truth innocence Mood reflective serious Type dramatic philosophical When to use this quote - confessional writing - ethical decision making - personal reflection Key Concepts ethics psychology dramatic literature Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from speaking truth? - How does guilt affect your clarity? A Different Perspective Truth may be suppressed by social pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilt Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt-loss-236254/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Innocence Bold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence-bold-3807237/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waits Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waits-innocence-4228055/) ## Related quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [The trust I have is in mine innocence, and therefore am I bold and resolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-trust-i-have-is-in-mine-innocence-and-therefore-am-i-bold-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nay, droop not, fellows; innocence should be bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/nay-droop-not-fellows-innocence-should-be-bold/) [Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The decision of such judges as Claudius and his Senate is worth very little in the question of a man's innocence or guilt; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-decision-of-such-judges-as-claudius-and-his-senate-is-worth-very/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dalgliesh was too experienced to assume that fear implied guilt; it was often the most innocent who were the most terrified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/dalgliesh-was-too-experienced-to-assume-that-fear-implied-guilt-it/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [“Unschuld ist kein Schutz.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/unschuld-ist-kein-schutz/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [“People, in general, tend to project onto others their own state of mind. Well-meaning people inevitably assume other people are well meaning. People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-salter/people-in-general-tend-to-project-onto-others-their-own-state-of-mind/) [Anna Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-salter/) > [“Innocence and guilt. These are cosmic issues. We’re all innocent on one level and guilty on another. Isn’t that what Original Sin is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-thanh-nguyen/innocence-and-guilt-these-are-cosmic-issues-we-re-all-innocent-on-one/) [Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-thanh-nguyen/) > [“Guilt is easy, innocence is hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/guilt-is-easy-innocence-is-hard/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“They have secret weapons that break the heart of innocents, elevate stress levels, shoot down to make it look guilt. They can burn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-karvouni/they-have-secret-weapons-that-break-the-heart-of-innocents-elevate/) [Maria Karvouni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-karvouni/) > [The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-only-things-that-i-can-tell-you-is-that-every-case-i-have/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/relationships-don-t-thrive-because-the-guilty-are-punished-but/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [In former days, everyone found the assumption of innocence so easy; today we find fatally easy the assumption of guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-heilbrun/in-former-days-everyone-found-the-assumption-of-innocence-so-easy/) [Carolyn Heilbrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-heilbrun/) > [Focus on guilt will always breed fear, and focus on innocence will always breed love. Any time we project guilt onto someone else, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/focus-on-guilt-will-always-breed-fear-and-focus-on-innocence-will/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by William Congreve > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/he-who-closes-his-ears-to-the-views-of-others-shows-little-confidence/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing, through the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/uncertainty-and-expectation-are-the-joys-of-life-security-is-an/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“One no more owes one's beauty to a lover than one's wit to an echo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/one-no-more-owes-one-s-beauty-to-a-lover-than-one-s-wit-to-an-echo/) [william congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I confess freely to you, I could never look long upon a monkey, without very mortifying reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-confess-freely-to-you-i-could-never-look-long-upon-a-monkey-without/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Marriage is honourable, as you say; and if so, wherefore should Cuckoldom be a Discredit, being deriv'd from so honourable a Root?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/marriage-is-honourable-as-you-say-and-if-so-wherefore-should/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [A wit should no more be sincere, than a woman constant; one argues a decay of parts, as to other of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/a-wit-should-no-more-be-sincere-than-a-woman-constant-one-argues-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [They are at the end of the gallery; retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/they-are-at-the-end-of-the-gallery-retired-to-their-tea-and-scandal/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is in true Beauty, as in Courage, somewhat which narrow Souls cannot dare to admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-in-true-beauty-as-in-courage-somewhat-which-narrow-souls/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-am-a-fool-i-know-it-and-yet-heaven-help-me-i-m-poor-enough-to-be-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is nothing more unbecoming a man of quality than to laugh ... 'tis such a vulgar expression of the passion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-nothing-more-unbecoming-a-man-of-quality-than-to-laugh-tis/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/honor-is-a-public-enemy-and-conscience-a-domestic-and-he-that-would/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“True, 'tis an unhappy circumstance of life that love should ever die before us, and that the man so often should outlive the lover.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/true-tis-an-unhappy-circumstance-of-life-that-love-should-ever-die/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Believe it, Men have ever been the same, And all the Golden Age is but a Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/believe-it-men-have-ever-been-the-same-and-all-the-golden-age-is-but/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [She likes herself, yet others hates, For that which in herself she prizes; And while she laughs at them, forgets She is the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/she-likes-herself-yet-others-hates-for-that-which-in-herself-she/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) [Explore all 103 William Congreve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## More Confusion quotes > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I believe confusion is good. Worldwide market leaders gain when there is confusion in the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhash-chandra/i-believe-confusion-is-good-worldwide-market-leaders-gain-when-there/) [Subhash Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhash-chandra/) > [Being actors we are dealing with the beauty and complexity of human confusion, no? And we are always trying to get answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/being-actors-we-are-dealing-with-the-beauty-and-complexity-of-human/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [“Wait, seriously, what's a piss pot?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/wait-seriously-what-s-a-piss-pot/) [Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/) > [I think there's confusion around what the point of social networks is. A lot of different companies characterized as social networks have different goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/i-think-there-s-confusion-around-what-the-point-of-social-networks-is/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [In history as it comes to be written, there is usually some Spirit of the Age which historians can define, but the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/in-history-as-it-comes-to-be-written-there-is-usually-some-spirit-of/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Psychedelic drugs cause paranoia, confusion, and total loss of reality in politicians that have never taken them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/psychedelic-drugs-cause-paranoia-confusion-and-total-loss-of-reality/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [That feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something, but you don't know what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-feeling-you-get-when-you-know-you-are-forgetting-something-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [But, when it comes to global warming, the public- at-large really doesn't know whom to believe anymore. And NASA has contributed to that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/but-when-it-comes-to-global-warming-the-public-at-large-really-doesn/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) > [You know your in LOVE,because,for once.. You know reality is better than your DREAMS..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-your-in-love-because-for-once-you-know-reality-is-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. But rarely, very rarely novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/in-these-days-of-faith-cures-and-hypnotism-and-telepathy-and/) [Walter de la Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [“If you want nothing to do with god then why do you say his name all the time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-reimer/if-you-want-nothing-to-do-with-god-then-why-do-you-say-his-name-all/) [Emily Reimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-reimer/) [Browse all 1,822 Confusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Congreve" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-waits-upon-it-when-innocence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-waits-upon-it-when-innocence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/william-congreve-5161_confusion_guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-wa_2105784.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for…” — William Congreve", "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": "William Congreve", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Guilt is ever at a loss,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-waits-upon-it-when-innocence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/guilt-is-ever-at-a-loss-and-confusion-waits-upon-it-when-innocence/#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 } } ] } ```