For the truth is a terrible thing. You dabble your foot in it and it is nothing. But you walk a little farther and you feel it pull you like an undertow or a whirlpool. First there is the slow pull so steady and gradual you scarcely notice it, then the acceleration, then the dizzy whirl and plunge into darkness. For there is a blackness of truth, too. They say it is a terrible thing to fall into the Grace of God. I am prepared to believe that.

How dreadful the knowledge of the truth can be
When there’s no help in truth.

How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be When there's no help in truth!

It would be a dreadful thing to tell anyone about it, for it would destroy some fragile structure of truth. It was truth that might be shattered by division.

It is a strange and dismal thing that in a world of such need, such opportunity and such variety as ours, the search for an illusory peace of mind should go so zealously pursued and defended, while truth goes languishing.

How terrible — to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!

To fear a truth! Blasphemy!

The truth can cause a lot of trouble for those who are not supposed to know it.

'[T]is a sad thing when all one's happiness is only that the world does not know you are miserable.

La vérité ne fait pas tant de bien dans le monde que ses apparences y font de mal.

I have said to you to speak the truth is a painful thing. To be forced to tell lies is much worse.

Truth does not do so much good in the world, as the appearance of it does evil.

La vérité ne fait pas tant de bien dans le monde
que ses apparences y font de mal.

You’re awful.” “I’m honest. It’s the world that’s awful.