The hunter for aphorisms on human nature has to fish in muddy water, and he is even condemned to find much of his own mind.
F. H. BradleyRead
True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True regret leads to a quiet reflection, as one only truly regrets things they would not want to repeat.
The quote by F. H. Bradley suggests that genuine penitence is accompanied by silence and introspection, indicating that if a person is willing to discuss their past actions, they may not have fully understood the depth of their remorse. It emphasizes that true regret comes from an internal realization and acceptance of one's mistakes, making one reluctant to vocalize those experiences as they signify a desire not to repeat them.
Themes
RegretSilenceReflectionRemorseIntrospection
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical discussion about the nature of regret.
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Our live experiences, fixed in aphorisms, stiffen into cold epigrams. Our heart's blood, as we write it, turns to mere dull ink.
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Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe on instinct.
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One said of suicide, As long as one has brains one should not blow them out. And another answered, But when one has ceased to have them, too often one cannot.
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