There are many sham diamonds in this life which pass for real, and vice versa.
And in those varieties of pain of which we spoke anon, what a part of confidante has that poor teapot played ever since the kindly plant was introduced among us! What myriads of women have cried over it, to be sure! What sickbeds it has smoked by! What fevered lips have received refreshment from out of it! Nature meant very gently by women when she made that teaplant; and with a little thought what a series of pictures and groups the fancy may conjure up and assemble round the teapot and cup!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the emotional and social significance of tea, especially for women, highlighting how it has been a source of comfort and connection.
In this quote, Thackeray eloquently describes the teapot as a silent confidante in the lives of women, symbolizing the comfort and solace that tea provides during times of distress. The imagery conjured evokes a sense of warmth, bonding, and the nurturing aspect of this beverage that has been a companion through heartaches and moments of care, thus illustrating the profound emotional landscape tea occupies in daily life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a heartfelt conversation at a reunion, someone could share this quote to express the emotional depth that tea has provided in their lives.
More from William Makepeace Thackeray
All quotes →There's a great power of imagination about these little creatures, and a creative fancy and belief that is very curious to watch . . . I am sure that horrid matter-of-fact child-rearers . . . do away with the child's most beautiful privilege. I am determined that Anny shall have a very extensive and instructive store of learning in Tom Thumbs, Jack-the-Giant-Killers, etc.
When you look at me, when you think of me, I am in paradise.
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The moral world has no particular objection to vice, but an insuperable repugnance to hearing vice called by its proper name.
it is the ordinary lot of people to have no friends if they themselves care for nobody
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