I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the unknown horrors and evils that exist beyond our understanding and the human tendency to uncover them.
H. P. Lovecraft's quote delves into the unsettling idea that there are terrifying truths and evils in existence that are beyond our comprehension. It suggests that humanity, through its curiosity and desire to explore, sometimes inadvertently brings these dark realities into our awareness. This reflects a deeper philosophical contemplation on the nature of knowledge, the limits of human understanding, and the potential consequences of uncovering those truths.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on the limits of human understanding, this quote illustrates the dangers of curiosity.
More from H. P. Lovecraft
All quotes →Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places.
The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.
No new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace.
I am, indeed, an absolute materialist so far as actual belief goes; with not a shred of credence in any form of supernaturalism—religion, spiritualism, transcendentalism, metempsychosis, or immortality.
If I am mad, it is mercy! May the gods pity the man who in his callousness can remain sane to the hideous end!
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